sewer

Wednesday April 29, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday April 29, 2020

The future of our watershed is far from assured

Look, it’s another non-COVID-19 editorial! That’s right, we wanted to give you a break from nonstop pandemic news and commentary. We know that can get heavy.

November 26, 2019

So instead, let’s talk about the state of Cootes Paradise, Chedoke Creek and Hamilton’s watershed in general. That’s bound to lighten your mood. Not.

A new report from the City of Hamilton says no special cleanup or monitoring of the Cootes Paradise marsh is called for as a result of the now infamous 24-billion-litre sewage leak known as Sewergate.

Before you utter a collective sigh of relief, let’s be clear: That doesn’t mean the protected marsh area is fine. It’s not. And common sense suggests the extra billions of litres of sewage leaked over more than four years into Chedoke Creek, which drains into the marsh, did not help matters. 

December 7, 2019

According to a report from The Spectator’s Matthew Van Dongen, the report by SLR Consulting concludes there was no lasting damage to the marsh from the sewage spill, but it also observes that it’s hard to know where any specific piece of pollution is coming from, because there are so many sources. Well, that’s a relief.

Hamilton Coun. Maureen Wilson rightfully referred to the situation as a “damning indictment” of how the city has treated Cootes through history, allowing it to become dirty nearly beyond redemption prior to efforts in the last two decades to reclaim the marsh.

Progress has certainly been made, but the reality is that Cootes remains painfully polluted, not only by sewage but also by leachate from old landfill sites and toxic-run-off from highways, parking lots and other sources.

November 27, 2019

Back to the report for a bit. The consultant’s view is not necessarily and final word. The Royal Botanical Gardens, which owns the marsh, is studying the report, and while there is no final determination, there are hints the RBG may not agree with the report’s findings. The RBG’s Nick Kondrat told Van Dongen: “ … our initial assessment is that we strongly believe that additional analysis is required to evaluate the severity of the damage” from the spill.

The provincial Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks has also yet to pass judgment, and it may differ from the consultant when it comes. It will also determine whether any aspect of the spill broke the law. If it did, charges against the city could follow.

The Hamilton Spectator

But suppose the provincial ministry report doesn’t amount to much. And suppose the RBG’s findings and recommendations aren’t conclusive. Where does that leave us? 

As much as we like to use the Sewergate label — The Spec did coin the phrase and break the story, after all — the spill and its fallout are not the most important issue at hand. What matters more is where we go from here. 

Are we satisfied with the status quo, with ongoing cleanup efforts that have delivered laudable but not conclusive results?

Cootes is still receiving pollution from so many sources pollutants can’t be traced to any one source. Chedoke Creek’s bed is layered with contaminated sludge. Major weather events, of which we are having more and more, still result in sewage holding tank overflow that leaks into the marsh, harbour and lake. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial)



 

Wednesday July 16, 2014

Wednesday July 16, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday July 16, 2014

Concrete dumped in city sewer “not going anywhere”

The city will need to reroute sewage under the future James Street North GO Station after a truckload of concrete was dumped into an old sewer.

It’s believed a construction crew working on the site east of the MacNab Street bridge accidentally drilled into an 85-year-old trunk sewer last week then proceeded to pour in at least a truckload of concrete meant to fill caissons.

“We won’t be able to remove the concrete. We’re talking about an old sewer, at least 85 years old, made of three layers of brick. Now that it’s in there, (the concrete is) not going anywhere,” city wastewater director Dan McKinnon said Monday.

McKinnon said at least one truckload of concrete was dumped into the 0.9-by-1.2-metre, egg-shaped sewer tunnel before workers realized the mistake.

Spokesperson Vanessa Thomas said Monday Metrolinx is still investigating the incident, but an update on how it happened and what comes next wasn’t available.

McKinnon said he expects a new section of sewer line up to 100 metres in length will need to be built around the concrete obstruction but added project details are still being worked out.

City and Metrolinx officials were meeting with the GO Station contractor Monday afternoon to talk about a solution. McKinnon said the city is not on the hook for the cost, which he estimated could exceed $200,000.

In the meantime, the city has set up pumps and a temporary sewer line to keep sewage flowing in the area.

McKinnon said local basements shouldn’t be at risk of flooding because the area is served by a “backup system” — basically, a huge sewage holding tank under Bayfront Park that sucks up overflow in storms or heavy rains.

Metrolinx is building a two-storey GO station at James Street North that includes a platform extending under Bay Street North. The first phase of the new “mobility hub” is supposed to be ready in time for the 2015 Pan Am Games next July.

Metrolinx also had its hands full co-ordinating construction with a recently completed bridge replacement by CN over nearby Bay Street because the bridge abutments have to accommodate the planned pedestrian platform for GO. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)