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Port Perry Star (1907-), 25 Mar 1965, p. 3

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for . PER BRITE A LE ASCII RR) {a PRAT » } ay," AIAREAS WRN LETTER Manchester March 19, 1965 The Editor, "Port Perry Star", Port Perry, Ont. Dear Sir: I was particularly interested in your report on the front page of yesterday's "Star" entitled "Initial Steps Taken Toward Sewage System", because for some time I have shared with other residents of Port Perry and Reach Township a growing awareness of the extent to which Port Perry is polluted, and the apparently increasing rate at which we are destroying Lake Scugog. Recently there has come to my hand the Ontario Water Re- sources Commission report of the water pollution survey of Port Perry conducted by Com- mission staff on July 6, 1964. The preamble of this report states that 'similar surveys were made previously at Port Perry by Commission staff in 1958 and in 1962. Therefore, this - recent. survey wag - per- formed to review conditions re- vealed previously . . .Reported- ly, there are instances where septic tank effluent is dis- charged to. storm sewers or surface water drainage sys- tems." The survey was during a period of dry weather and the water flow from most major arteries discharging into the lake was insufficient for sampling. Drainage from the municipal storm sewer at the foot of Queen Street, for ex- ample, could not be analyzed; nor could that from the sewer at the south side of Casimir Street; nor could that from the drainage course north of Scu- gog Street; however, one "storm" sewer that was flow- . ing sturdily was that at the foot of Mary Street, and analy- 8is of samples taken at its mouth yielded alarming statis- tics. The "BOD" (biochemical oxygen demand) count which is indicative of decomposing or- ganic and chemical material in the water, and which, according to the Commission report "should not exceed four parts per million", was 72 ppm. What this figure means is that oxy- gen is being consumed by de- composing wastes in the water at a rate which jeopardizes the lives of normal aquatic organ- isms, including fish. ' Discharge from the same sewer was analyzed for the pre- sence of coliform bacteria. This "coliform count" indicates the degree of "pollution by human or animal excrement or by some non-faecal forms". In the opinion of the Commission, "the presence of coliforms in a watercourse should not exceed 2,400 organisms per 100 ml. of water", and yet coliform bac- teria were flowing into the lake from the Mary Street sewer at the rate of 106,000 per ml. of water! This alarming degree of pollution may be partially explained by the fact that "any industrial waste produced at the Ideal Dairy Products Lim- ited plant is discharged to the municipal storm sewer on Mary Street." What of the rest of Port Perry? Samples taken along the course of the small stream which runs north - easterly through the village reveal that it is thick with bacterial pollu- tion. At Scugog Street the coliform count which, you will recall, should be no more than 2,400, was 15,000; at Crandle Street it was 44,000; at Elgin Street, 150,000 ;at Lilla Street, 44,000; at North Street, 178,- O »| 000; THE and upstream from the lake, 48,000. The survey was made in a dary period. When rain came, this accumulated effluent was presumably washed into the swamp near the town's north- ern boundary, where it was joined by that from two other streams, having coliform counts of 79,000 and 63,000 respective- ly. Presumably, when rain came, this pollution continued its spread out into the lake. Presumably, at the same time, other "storm" sewers, inactive during the¥Commission's survey also began to discharge into the lake. The situation has not im- proved since July 6, 1964, or, as far as one can gather, in the saven years since the first sur- vey was made. It has gotten worse, and will continue to grew worse with each passing week. In view of this fact, any action, such as that taken by Council recently, toward the installation of proper sewage treatment facilities is most welcome, I Finally, there 'are three questions which I would much appreciate having answered by competent authorities: First, I EDITOR note that in reply to Mr. Bruce Beure's question concerning the "objectionable features" of the lagoon system as opposed to a sewage processing plant, Mr. J. A. J. Knox, the engineer con- sulted, said that a lagoon "is not always considered as the best system". Why not? Does it smell? Does it entail con- tinued run-off to the lake? Has it been found inadequate to the needs of other expanding com- munities ? Secondly, how is the proposed sewage system, either lagoon or processing plant, to be fi. nanced? Do I assume correctly from your report ("Council unanimously decided that if a decision was made to proceed with the project it should be financed by the Ontario Water Resources Commission.") that the only direct cost to the local taxpayer will be that of maint- enance and operatipn? Thirdly, at the current rate of pollution, how long will it 1-be before Scugog, "this small, |" shallow, and potentially beau- tiful lake, is corrupted beyond saving? Wayland Drew PORT PERRY STAR, Thursday, March 25th -- 3 House League Hockey PEE WEE HOUSE LEAGUE March 17th-- semi-finals over in a very close game. teams played good hockey. Neil . Geer and Ives were while Nesbitt, Kirpatrick and Allis- Taylor, stars Jackson 2. McCartney 3 McCartney's team for McCartney's ton were best for Jackson's. Summary-- McCartney: McCartney - Taylor Geer Taylor - Holtby Jackson: Nesbitt Lee - Nesbitt March 22nd-- won the Jackson's 8-2 Both Hurst 5. Hall 0 Hurst played hard to win this game which advanced them to the finals. Hall's team had tough luck around the met. Bill Jeffrey was the star of the game scoring 4 points and skat- ing real hard. Shaw also pick- ed up 3 points. Ted Hall and McDermott worked hard for Hall's team. Summary-- Hurst: Shaw - Jeffrey Jeffrey - unassisted Jeffrey - Taylor - Nelson Shaw - Jeffrey - Brown Taylor - Shaw - DeShane The Finals start Sat., March 27th, 9 a.m. for the Novice PN 728-6201 3 in Four Seasons Travel(Oshawa) | LIMITED e YOUR CERTIFIED eo 'TRAVEL CONSULTANTS | A complete travel service throughout the: world. 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