French River Stewardship Council Water Quality Report 2012 to Members

June 2012

The science committee of the FRSC has completed a four year water sampling report along the entire length of theFrenchRiver. The resulting report looked at nutrient loading and in some specific areas e-coli levels. The results of our study were combined with work done in the early to mid nineties as presented in the Hutchison Report. We have also reviewed the work completed by other cottage associations and the Ministry of the Environment.

The water quality program conducted over the past four years showed a significant negative impact on our water quality resulting from the operation of sewage lagoons. This negative impact is also seen as the major contributing factor to ongoing blue/green algae blooms.

In addition we have raised concerns regarding private sewage handling systems and recommended bylaws aimed at reducing the impact of these systems.

For the past four years we have been presenting our findings to our local municipal council, to the MOE, the Public Health Department and provided a summary presentation of findings at our annual meetings. Our reports included recommendations for both mitigating identified problems as well as recommendations to ensure the longer term protection of our water quality. We have received cooperation from all these groups, albeit action was slower than we would have wanted at times.

Actions that have taken place as a result of our efforts:

The management and operating practices at our local sewage treatment lagoons has improved. Equipment additions and improvements were made based on input from the FRSC. Operating practices were improved resulting in some improvement of effluent quality in 2010 and 2011, there is however still work to do.

A report noting the infiltration problems into the Noelville sewage system was identified to the Mayor and CAO during a review of the Trow engineering report. The FRSC recommended that a letter be sent to Noelville residence asking them to remove storm water connections which were entering the sanitary sewage system and reroute them to the storm sewer system. If all residence complied we estimated a loading reduction at the Lagoons of up to 40 %.  A review of the 2011 flows to the Lagoons system indicates that a good start has been made with a 20% measurable improvement made to date.

Although a last resort we have requested formal inspection by MOE and Health department investigators at business and residential sites. In all cases problems and deficiencies that were confirmed by inspections were repaired.

The FRSC is currently preparing a detailed report which we will provide to our local council, the council environment committee, the SDHU and the MOE. We will review this report at our annual meeting this July.