The last regulatory hurdle to get straight pipes out of the LaHave has been cleared.
The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg passed the Wastewater Management District By-Law at their last council meeting.
It will give them authority to regulate on-site sewage disposal systems beginning August 31.
MODL’s Sarah Kucharski says there are over 1,600 addresses in the district.
“That doesn’t mean we have 1,600 straight pipes. The rough guess is around 600. But, until people start pulling in their applications and identifying their properties, we don’t know exactly how many straight pipes we have.”
The municipality has awarded Able Engineering Services Inc. just over $79,000 to design the new sewage disposal systems.
Kucharski says that should cover 100 new systems over the next two years.
She says it’s easy to sign on to the program.
“If they don’t know, they can look at our web site and see a map or they can call us and ask. But if you suspect you’re in the district, you are going to be part of the program and we ask that you fill out an application form and that helps us put you on the list.”
Click here to find out if a property is in the controlled district or to sign on to the program.
The LaHave is not the only body of water in the Lunenburg municipality dealing with sewage issues.
Recent testing in Lunenburg Harbour has shown the effects of sewage being flushed into the water.
While outflow from the town plant is treated, there are 23 straight pipes in Garden Lots dumping into the harbour.
Kucharski says the municipality is aware of the issue, but it won’t be part of the LaHave clean up project.
“We are looking at what kind of government funding is available. The funding that we’re getting for the LaHave project, we’re not able to access it for Garden Lots. We’re just looking at different options but it’s definitely being looked at as a priority for us as well.”
But Kucharski can’t say when it will be addressed.
“No time line. We’re just, right now, trying to figure out what the government could offer in assistance for that and getting a solid handle on exactly what the problem is, and what a potential solution could be.”
