While updating wastewater…

While updating wastewater infrastructure at Searchmont Ski Resort may be necessary to address current capacity limitations, this proposal raises important environmental concerns. The ERO does not include any supporting technical documents in the online posting that would help address these concerns or allow for meaningful public review. The proposed discharge of treated effluent into the Goulais River should be evaluated beyond standard treatment metrics, as sequencing batch reactors may not consistently remove pathogens to levels that are safe for discharge into a public waterway. The ERO does not mention expected flow or the current flow, simply that the existing septic is no longer adequate. In addition, the ERO does not describe contingency plans for power outages, despite the fact that SBR systems typically require continuous power for proper aeration and treatment. In the event of a temporary failure will the resort publicly report on raw waste dumping into the Goulais River? Greater transparency and clearly defined safeguards are necessary to ensure the protection of the Goulais River and to maintain public confidence in this proposal.