Trout Lake sewage systems aren't malfunctioning

Sewage systems inspected by the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority are not showing any signs of malfunctions, the organization’s secretary-manager told North Bay’s engineering and works committee Monday.

Brian Tayler delivered the authority’s final report regarding the Silver Lady Lane Sewage Disposal Reinspection Plan, and preliminary reports for inspections to date for the Trout Lake Islands and West Peninsula Road.

And while the news was generally good, Tayler said vigilance will be required long-term to make sure the sewage systems do not end up posing threats to the lake.
The NBMCA inspected 51 of 52 properties on Silver Lady Lane, which abut the lake, and 49 of 52 waterfront properties on West Peninsula.

An average of 32 per cent of those properties have systems that are between 11 and 20 years old, and while many of the systems inspected don’t meet Ontario Building Code standard, the study indicated, they didn’t show any visual signs of malfunction.

Tayler said since many of the systems inspected are not “overly” old, “that’s probably why we’re seeing such good results from that area.”
That may not be the case in the future though.
“Ten or 15 years from now we’ll have our eyes open because it will be time to take a really hard look at some of those systems,” Tayler said.

He also told Coun. Maureen Boldt it didn't appear from the inspections that Trout Lake property owners were polluting the lake with their sewage.

The committee received the Silver Lady report and reaffirmed a previous recommendation to support continuing the re-inspection program to include all residences on Trout Lake within North Bay.

Tayler said an education program put together by the city, the authority, and the North Bay and District Health Unity-health unit is also working well.

“It gives people a heads-up and allows them to know what it is they should do to keep their system working properly, and when they might not be,” Tayler said.
“And secondly it makes our job easier when we show up on site, because usually people are prepared to handle the type of questions that we’ve got and are more than willing to allow us to do the reinspections.”