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Tales from the lagoon A visit to Scugog’s lagoon words like phosphorus, aeration, algae etc, - I’m going to relay, in simple terms, my experience during last month’s tour Photo courtesy Bill Lishman system proves to be an of Scugog’s lagoons and water treatment facility. . ‘ First and foremost - there is virtually no smell. enjoyable experience The Scugog lagoon system, to the casual observer, really looks more like a large marsh or environmental area. It’s six huge ponds, each covering about 15 acres (six hectares) are the most notable features. Arriving at the site of Scugog’s lagoons, just north of town, I joined a group of local residents, including Mayor Chuck Mercier and former mayor Doug Moffatt on a hay wagon tour around the six cells (ponds) which form the local sewage treat- ment facility. Anyone who understands that lagoons are used to treat and dispose of human waste, would also naturally assume that being anywhere near a facility of this type would be a ‘throat gagging’ experience. Let's start out by putting an end to that myth. The expected unpleasant smell of raw sewage was essen- tially non existent — even when standing directly above the screened inflow, where a murky fluid (no chunks) enters the lagoon system. This is the point where waste, coming directly from thousands of Port Perry homes, enters the treatment area. If there was going to be a noxious smell - it would have been here. There wasn’t! Second myth - that solids (from the lagoons) have been seen floating in the Nonquon River is simply ‘pure bull’. Long before arriving at the lagoons, solids flushed into the system have already been reduced to a murky liquid, proving sugges- tions that ‘floaters’ have been seen in the Nonquon River are simply ficticious. ur trip around the six ponds was both informative and interesting in that we were witness to a variety of unexpected. sights. There was life everywhere. Birds circled overhead, an otter splashed as it descended into the murky water, a family of Canada Geese with a dozen goslings swam to safety from Mayor Chuck Mercier listens intently as John Baranowski explains they are standing directly above the inflow of raw sew- age before it enters the lagoon system. Please turn to page 34 80 FOCUS - JUNE 2011 JUNE FOCUS. 40 pages.indd 30 5/2411 8:57:42 AM