Otter Creek Sand and Gravel Inc. - Environmental Compliance Approval (sewage)

The proposal is for a new Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) for the discharge of water from a proposed aggregate wash plant for the existing gravel pit located at 168 Bruce Road 3 in Mildmay, Ontario (License ALPS 4680). The existing gravel pit operation is located on Part Lots 20 and 21, Concession C in the Township of Carrick, Municipality of South Bruce, Ontario.

The proposed wash plant will process sand and gravel materials to remove silt and clay-sized particles and produce sand and gravel products of various sizes. The discharge water from the wash plant will be directed to settling ponds within the limits of extraction, where the water will infiltrate to the groundwater system and the fines will retained in the pond for re-use on-site. The discharge from the proposed operation is not intended to manage storm water.

The following processes will be undertaken as part of the wash plant operations to occur at the Subject Property. Native mined aggregate will be fed into a hopper or a conveyor belt that will lead into the wash plant. The material will then be screened to separate out larger rocks and boulders that may be mixed with the sand and gravel. The water supply will be an excavated pond on-site which will supply the wash plant using a pump and hoses. Excavated infiltration ponds (i.e., settling ponds) will be used for the wash plant discharge and will be located above the water table.

The settling pond(s) will be sized appropriately, allowing fines to settle to the bottom and the clear water to infiltrate back into the gravel pit maintaining the same rate of for takings and returns. This method will prevent turbid water from entering natural surface water systems (primarily Otter Creek) and will ensure the sustainability of the onsite resources.