Council flushes province's proposal for septic systems

City Council is concerned that the excessive cost of advanced septic systems proposed by the Province, effective as of December 31st, 2016, could jeopardize future development and replacement may prove too costly for current residences situated along the North Bay and Callender borderline.

The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority, as the principal authority in the Ontario Building Code for Part 8, has advised The Corporation of the City of North Bay of recommended changes to the Building Code that will require denitrification, phosphorus removal and tertiary treatment for on-site septic systems within vulnerable areas as described in Drinking Water Source Protection Assessment reports where septic systems are deemed to be significant threats.

The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority has indicated to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, in its comments as part of the public comments process, that it does not support the proposed changes to the Ontario Building Code for tertary treatment systems as a blanket approach to reducing the significance of such threats, particularly in light of the new Building Code requirement for mandatory maintenance inspections for these same systems.

The septic systems proposed through the amendment to the Ontario Building Code are significantly more costly than a conventional septic system an additional cost that will have to be borne by each property owner in a vulnerable area.

During Monday night's regular City Council meeting, council requested that the proposed change to Part 8 of the Ontario Building Code, recommended by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing requiring the installation of tertiary treatment systems for new or replacement septic systems within vulnerable areas as described in Drinking Water Source protection assessment reports, where septic systems are deemed to be a significant threat, not be approved.

Council agrees with the recommendation of the Conservation Authority that a blanket approach to this is not needed, saying that the current system is satisfactory and should it fail, and mandatory inspections performed every 5 years will catch it.

The Mattawa-Conservation Authority, in conjunction with the Source Water Protection Planning, has identified 800 properties that are vulnerable with respect to drinking water systems.

This involves mainly the Callendar drinking water system.

Councillor Dave Mendicino, who sits on the board of the Mattawa Conservation Authority, says that properties that fall within the Trout Lake Watershed were not deemed to be vulnerable simply because the intake pipe for Trout Lake is so deep, but says that there are a few properties on the North Bay & Callendar area that would be affected.

“But this more about supporting our neighboring municipalities,” Mendicino says, adding that the Province's proposed changes is nothing short of ”overkill.”

“The cost would just be atrocious and we're not even talking about new development, which will add 3 times the cost with the new septic systems,” he says.

“It's just not necessary.”