The Goulais River is one of…

ERO number

025-1121

Comment ID

179980

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Individual

Comment status

Comment approved More about comment statuses

Comment

The Goulais River is one of the cleanest, most important rivers in our region.
It supports fish, wildlife, recreation, and the health of downstream communities'🚣🏾‍♀️🛶🏊🏾‍♀️
Searchmont Ski Resort is applying for an ECA (Environmental Compliance Approval) to discharge treated sewage wastewater into the river, and an Assimilative Capacity Study (ACS) was completed to assess whether the river can safely handle it.

1) THE RIVER IS ALREADY SHOWING SIGNS OF STRESS.
2) THE STUDY RECOMMENDS DISCHARGE LIMITS THAT WOULD WORSEN WATER QUALITY.
3) THE MODELING USED IN THE STUDY IS INCOMPLETE AND, THEREFORE, UNRELIABLE.
4) THE MONITORING DATA IS NOT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A MAJOR DISCHARGE.
5) THE STUDY ASSUMES THE TREATMENT SYSTEM WILL PERFORM FROM PERFECTLY - WITHOUT EVIDENCE!
6) THE STUDY DOES NOT ASSESS CUMULATIVE IMPACTS.
7) THE STUDY'S CONCLUSIONS DO NOT MATCH ITS OWN DATA.

f approved as‑is, the proposed discharge could:
➡️ Increase nutrient pollution
➡️ Harm fish and aquatic life
➡️ Reduce water clarity
➡️ Increase bacteria levels
➡️ Stress the river during low‑flow periods
➡️ Create long‑term cumulative impacts that are hard to reverse

What is most galling is that alternative sewage treatments exist:
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/ski-resorts-are-turning-wastewater-in…