By Anne Fnlay-Stewart
Owen Sound's water infrastructure dates back to the 1880s. Today the value of the assets in the existing water and waste water systems is $172 million or an investment of approximately $25,000 per customer. The last few weeks have proven just how valuable that infrastructure is to our quality of life.
In 2000, seven deaths and many more illnesses in Walkerton were attributed to contaminated water. The inquiry that followed made 93 recommendations and the province responded with several pieces of legislation including the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Water Opportunities Act. The former includes quality standards, chemical levels, training of operators and licensing requirements. The latter legislation and its unfolding regulations are intended to ensure that water services are maintained and improved to ensure that future demand can be satisfied. As a condition of our licence to operate a municipal water system, the city must create plans that include maintaining and replacing infrastructure, risk assessment, conservation, and a sustainable financial plan to pay for it all.
By Anne Finlay-Stewart
A full day for council and staff – more work on the Strategic Plan and an in camera meeting that included union issues and the disposition of the site of the former Scopis Restaurant.
First up were Greg Fryer and John McLachlan from Habitat for Humanity. Grey Bruce had one of the first Habitat organizations in Canada, providing 35 safe affordable homes since 1987. Buyers pay no down payment or interest, but repay the cost of the home at a rate set at 25% of the family's gross income. Those funds are used to build future homes, and the net income from Habitat's three Grey-Bruce Re-Stores pays the administrative costs. Habitat has had generous supplies of materials, services and volunteers, and is particularly looking for land.
By Anne Finlay-Stewart
This was an "other business" item at the end of a long council meeting and a very long day for council and staff, but it is at the top of the list for the more than 100 households and businesses who are without water today.
Director of Operations Ken Becking might just have the hardest job in the city right now, and Councillor O'Leary was the first to express the gratitude of all residents for the tireless work he and his staff are doing to deal with the unprecedented damage this deep freeze is doing to water services in Owen Sound.
On average the city experiences about 25 to 40 breaks a year. Until mid-February, it was business as usual. By the 21st it was evident that public works was unable to keep up with the frozen services, some in areas where there was no historic record of such occurrences.
The City of Owen Sound Municipal Emergency Control Group has met and is asking all residents and businesses that have been contacted by written notice or by city staff to please leave their water running as instructed.
"It is critically important that you must run your water continuously 24/7 until further notice if you live in any of the identified areas, says Mayor Boddy. I confirm that residents and business will not suffer any financial hardship from the extra water consumption as the city will be using historical data for billing during this time. I ask that you please place a sign near your tap so it will not inadvertently be turned off.
If the connection to your home or business freezes it could be many days before service can be restored. We ask that you cooperate to help our community get through this challenge we are facing."
The Water Department continues to receive many reports of service lines freezing in locations where they have never frozen before. So in some areas of the City with shallow water mains, the City will ask residents to begin running water continuously, 24 hours a day. A list of some of the key areas follows:
-3rd Ave E from 17th St E to the Water Treatment Plant
-9th Ave E from 10th St to 20th St
-9th St E from 1st Ave E to 8th Ave
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