Environment Canada issues warning to Big Valley concerning wastewater

Local Journalism Initiative
·1 min read

The Village of Big Valley has received a warning form Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Fisheries Act for contraventions within the Village’s Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations pertaining to the issues within their lagoon.

At the Monday, March 18, Village Council Meeting, Chief Administrative Officer, Colleen Mayne, presented Council with an informative Request for Decision concerning the contraventions and to create a lagoon repair Action Plan to address the issues outlined under the Fisheries Act.

Under inspection, the Big Valley Lagoon was found to exceed the average concentration of suspended solid limit allowed and failed to submit annual monitoring reports, complete with proper test findings. There are also concerns around a crack located along the top of the berm potentially causing leakage of treated wastewater into the surrounding environment.

The Warning states that it is “intended to bring this matter to your attention in order for you to take the necessary corrective action to ensure compliance with the Fisheries Act. This document is not a finding of guilt or civil liability, and is not an administrative adjudication."

Amanda Ragsdale, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Drumheller Mail

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