INNISFIL - Hundreds of Innisfil residents will be on the hook for septic inspections.
Some residents are not pleased with the town’s new septic re-inspection program, which was introduced during a recent meeting in Lefroy.
Director of development Don Eastwood was quick to explain the program is provincially mandated.
“This really was not dreamed up in town council,” he said during the meeting. “It wasn’t our choice to have to ramp up a program (and) hire on new staff. Frankly, it’s not everyone’s idea of fun to have your septic system inspected.”
Although the program is required by the province, the government is offering no financial support, which is why the town has decided to make it user-pay and charge each homeowner $129.90 for the inspection. The new re-inspection regulations fall under the Ontario Building Code and give municipalities five years to comply.
The goal is to identify septic systems that could pose a hazard to health and to municipal drinking water systems, and to ensure remediation.
Eastwood told those who attended the meeting that the town has identified more than 1,200 septic systems that fit the criteria — the bulk of them along the Lake Simcoe shoreline, either south of Lefroy or north of Alcona — which will need to be inspected by Jan. 1, 2016.
“It’s going to take us a couple of years to get 1,200 properties inspected,” Eastwood said, explaining that what is planned is a visual inspection only, looking for signs of problems which could include excessive vegetation, odours, liquid discharge, algal growth and “squishy soil.”
Only if problems are found would there be a second inspection and potentially a requirement to repair or replace the system.
“The municipality has the ability to issue an order to ensure those things are corrected,” Eastwood said.
Those residents within the septic re-inspection zones must bring in proof that their septic beds have been pumped out within the past year, provide a drawing showing the position of the system in relation to buildings, wells and property lines, and book the inspection as well as providing payment.
Although there are hundreds of septic systems affected south of Lefroy, only approximately 25 residents attended the meeting and most were not happy with the new program.
Resident Mark Thibedeau told Eastwood that he had installed a new septic system in 2012 at a cost of $20,000.
“I put it in in October (and) haven’t used it and now you’re asking me to get another inspection done?” he asked.
Eastwood was quick to assure residents that systems installed or inspected within the past year would be exempt.
“What’s the penalty for not complying?” demanded another resident.
“It’s going to cost you more than $129.90,” said Eastwood, referring to possible court action.
“Not necessarily,” retorted the resident, blaming both town council and external factors, including the Holland Marsh, for the pollution of Lake Simcoe. “Maybe we should be electing people willing to challenge the government. Go after the people who are polluting Cook’s Bay.”
Eastwood again explained that the province is demanding the re-inspections.
“We really have no choice but to comply,” he said, adding the penalties to the town and to taxpayers for non-compliance would be significant.
There was also resistance to the requirement to have septic beds pumped out within a year.
Property owners argued that those practising good septic-bed care, or using their properties only seasonally, might not need to have their beds or tanks pumped out at a cost of hundreds of dollars.
Eastwood said the goal was to have all systems showing that they had been recently pumped out but acknowledged there may be exceptions.
“We’re prepared to look at exceptions,” he said.
Mayor Barb Baguley and other members of council attended the meeting, and came in for a share of criticism, particularly over the cost of the inspections.
“We don’t have sidewalks, we don’t have sewers. Why do we have to pay that?” a Gilford woman asked of the inspections. “Why should we pay more? You have casino money.”
There were questions over the inspection of holding tanks, tertiary systems that are already inspected annually by a third-party, and even which homes fall within the inspection boundary.
“The one-size-fits-all is a lie, just like panty hose,” Baguley said, adding there should be room for exceptions. “These kinds of one-offs are not the typical situation. There is some flexibility and judgment.”
Thibedeau suggested that the exceptions should be posted on the town website. “That’ll save a lot of phone calls.”
The re-inspection program is another step in a process that was initiated by the Walkerton tainted water-system disaster in an effort to ensure clean drinking water, a process that has also resulted in the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan and Source Water Protection Plans.
The province is requiring municipalities to carry out inspections of all on-site sewage systems within 100 metres of Lake Simcoe and other water bodies that drain into the lake, or that are within identified vulnerable areas near municipal wells.
The meeting ended with informal discussions, as residents spoke with inspectors Andrew Quattrociocchi and Ed Yohanna, other town staff, and politicians.
Eastwood said the goal was to present the program, listen to comments and reassure residents that “common sense will prevail.”
For more information, contact program administrator Terry Joyce at 705-436-3710, ext. 3540, or tjoyce@innisfil.ca, or inspectors Ed Yohanna at ext. 3544 or Andrew Quattrociocchi at ext. 3542.
Information packages are also available at the town.
Originally posted Barrie Examiner
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