PROPONENT:
OAK BLUFF HOLDING CO. LTD./OAK BLUFF COLONY FARMS LTD.
PROPOSAL NAME:
OAK BLUFF COLONY WASTEWATER TREATMENT LAGOON
CLASS OF DEVELOPMENT:
Two
TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT:
WASTE TREATMENT AND STORAGE AND SCRAP PROCESSING - WASTEWATER TREATMENT LAGOON
CLIENT FILE NO.:
4191.00
OVERVIEW:
On June 16, 1996, the Department received a Proposal prepared by Cochrane Engineering Inc. on behalf of the proponent, Oak Bluff Holding Co. Ltd./Oak Bluff Colony Farms Ltd., to construct and operate a wastewater treatment lagoon. The Proponent proposes to locate the lagoon on the southwest quarter of Section 35-4-2 EPM in the Rural Municipality of Montcalm.
The Proponent had previously constructed and operated a wastewater treatment lagoon without obtaining an Environment Act Licence for such a Development. The Proponent was requested to file a Proposal for the facility pursuant to the Environment Act. The Proponent decided to abandon the existing secondary cell and construct a new secondary cell. The liner in the existing wastewater treatment lagoon was never tested to determine its adequacy. The Development has been treated as a new facility for licencing purposes.
The Proponent proposes to dispose of treated effluent once per year by irrigating agricultural lands owned by the colony.
The Department, on July 29, 1996, placed copies of the Proposal in the Public Registries located at Building 2, 139 Tuxedo Avenue; the Centennial Public Library; and the South Central Regional Library (Morden) and provided copies of the Proposal to the Interdepartmental Planning Board and TAC members. As well, the Department place public notification of the Proposal in the Morris Scratching River Post on Thursday, August 22, 1996. The newspaper and TAC notification invited responses until September 20, 1996.
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC:
No public responses were received.
COMMENTS FROM THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE:
Highways - No concerns.
Natural Resources - No concerns.
Historic Resources - No concerns.
Health
- The lagoon should be fenced.
- Odours should be minimized.
Disposition:
Draft Licence include clauses which address these concerns.Rural Development - No concerns.
Manitoba Environment-Operations Division
The Proposal fails to identify a natural drain that flows through the identifed property were the effluent will be irrigated using an irrigation gun. Precautions should be made to prevent effluent entering this channel.
Disposition:
Draft Licence includes a clause which address this concern.Environment-Water Quality Management
- effluent should not be discharged to any natural waterways or man-made drains;
- effluent irrigation should be conducted in a manner which will not cause ponding and surface runoff;
- irrigation should not occur within 100 metres of any surface waterway.
- a soil and crop expert should assess whether the application of saline wastewater will have a short-term impact on the crop and a long-term impact on the soil in the area.
Disposition:
Draft Licence include clauses which address these concerns.Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
CEAA has indicated that application of The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act with respect to this proposal will not be required.
PUBLIC HEARING:
A public hearing is not required.
RECOMMENDATION:
A Licence be issued in accordance with the attached draft. Enforcement of the Licence should be assigned to the Approvals Branch until the soils sampling results are received.
PREPARED BY:
Mike Van Den Bosch, P. Eng.
Environmental Engineer
Municipal & Industrial Approvals
September 20, 1996