Province Supports Wastewater Management for Rural Cape Breton

ENVIRONMENT/LABOUR--Province Supports Wastewater Management for Rural Cape Breton

Residents of Grand Etang and Saint Joseph du Moine, Inverness Co., are invited to an open house and public meeting today, June 17, to learn about a proposed wastewater management district for their area. The pilot project would evaluate whether environmental and health benefits could be delivered more economically through a local wastewater management district.

"There are environmental and health costs in addition to the financial costs when septic systems fail," said Ron Russell, Minister of Environment and Labour. "We think that establishing a wastewater management district might be a way to reduce these costs."

The pilot project would involve the communities in establishing standards and ensuring adequate maintenance of septic systems. In turn, residents would benefit from reduced costs for maintenance or construction of septic systems by participating in cost-shared programs. A wastewater district would also reduce the overall cost of sewage disposal by using lower-cost alternatives to central sewage systems. About 45 per cent of homes in Nova Scotia use on-site septic systems.

The proposed project is a partnership among the communities of Grand Etang and Saint Joseph du Moine, the Municipality of the County of Inverness and the Department of Environment and Labour.

The department and the municipality have each contributed $30,000 to the initiative. Two summer workers from the department's Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps will also support the pilot project.

The open house will be held today from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Saint Joseph du Moine Community Centre in Grand Etang. A public meeting will follow at 7 p.m.

There are about 310 homes and about 930 residents in the proposed district. All use on-site sewage disposal.