After reviewing the…

After reviewing the Assimilative Capacity Study for the proposed wastewater discharge from Searchmont Ski Resort to the Goulais River, there are serious concerns that the study does not support approval as proposed. The river is already showing signs of stress, including phosphorus levels that exceed provincial objectives, bacteria spikes, limited winter oxygen data, and very low flows during late summer, all of which make it more vulnerable to pollution. The study recommends effluent limits that would worsen existing water quality issues, relies on incomplete and sometimes unstable modeling, and is based on an insufficient monitoring dataset that does not meet provincial expectations for a discharge of this scale. It also assumes flawless wastewater treatment performance without providing supporting evidence and fails to assess cumulative impacts from other watershed pressures and water withdrawals. As a result, the study’s conclusions do not align with its own data, and a revised, scientifically defensible assessment with proper modeling, multi year monitoring, winter analysis, realistic limits, and clear proof of treatment performance is needed before any approval is considered.