People on Last Mountain Lake banding together to stop pollution!
"The goal of this project is to protect, maintain and restore the health of Last Mountain Lake by eliminating illegal activities or diversion of polluted substances that damage the ecosystem while identifying and making all levels of government accountable to the public for their actions".
PROBLEM AT LAST MOUNTAIN LAKE, SASKATCHEWAN
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The potential pollution factor of Last Mountain Lake from Regina sewage
It is hard to determine the exact extent and who is ultimately responsible for the ongoing pollution problem of Last Mountain Lake. Sask Water will never take responsibility for how much, when, and what they divert into Last Mountain Lake. It becomes a balance of responsibilities between the Environment, Sask Water, Government of Saskatchewan and the City of Regina. While every organization feels they are doing their job, the big picture of pollution is being ignored or accidentally overlooked. Who is really in charge or is it a collective responsibility of all stakeholders? What is known is that the sewage from Regina is causing harm to Last Mountain Lake and its ecosystem.
If Regina sewage becomes saturated to a point where it is dangerous to the environment there are no options available to discontinue the release of sewage into the ecosystem. The Regina Sewage Treatment Plant has no short-term buffer or storage capability for inadequately treated or unsafe sewage. The only option is to continue with the hourly release of sewage into Wascana Creek, which makes it way to Last Mountain Lake and other water bodies down stream in the Qu‘Appelle Valley. The sewage will continue to be released even if the government or the court declared it illegal. There is no option other than an expansion and upgrade to the Regina Sewage treatment plant. This takes time, money and political will.
The Regina plant is advanced technology but undersized and its operational capacity is being challenged daily. Regina’s effluent problem has also has become noticeable and further compounded by drought conditions which has failed to produce spring and summer runoff to dilute and mask the high volume and concentration of this controlled daily release of sewage into the river system. The obvious sewage smell, poor water quality and dead or dying creatures are the visual signs or “in your face evidence” of the problem. Further, independent lab tests by Peter Leavit, a professor of biology at the University of Regina corroborates the concerns of the public. “Dr Leavitt concluded that the water is not safe for human use at all.” Refer to The Regina Leader Post news articles for further details.
Pelicans and other birds on Last Mountain Lake are dying. Fish in the rivers leading
into and in the lake itself are dying of what is believed to be polution.
In a 1988 survey of Regina Residents it was noted that 45% of the water consumption was flushed down the toilets. Sewage runs through the City’s domestic sewer system to the Sewage Treatment Plant, located just west of Regina. About 80 million litres move through the system each day. In addition the City of Regina storm runoff is collected by approximately 850 km of underground storm sewers which drain into the north and south channels and Wascana creek The City of Regina reports that “extensive testing for pH, bacteria, solids, and nutrient levels ensures that effluent entering Wascana Creek meets high environmental standards.” see www.cityregina.com for further details.
In a recent news story in the Regina Leader Post the following Article appeared “City sewage flows into Last Mountain Lake. Fecal coliform found in the water.” “Regardless, effluent from Regina’s plant is some of the highest quality effluent in this province,” said Alex Banga, director of basin operations with Sask Water. “(The effluent) only forms part of the flow that goes into the Qu’Appelle River system (which flows into Last Mountain Lake via Craven). It’s not true that we are diverting the effluent straight into Last Mountain Lake. Right now, there’s a flow of 10 cubic meters per second going past Lumsden, and about six through Craven. But out of that, only a fraction is coming from the treatment plant.
Based on sewage release figures which are available to the public the following could be easily calculated. Remember these are average figures. The potential sewage which could be diverted into Last Mountain Lake from the Regina Sewage Treatment Plant is as follows:
-55,555 litres per minute
-3.333 million litres per hour
-80 million litres per day (as reported in www.cityregina.com)
-560 million litres per week
-2.434 billion per month (2434 million litres)
-29.208 billon litres per year (292.08 million litres)
Six out of 10 meters of water flow or 60 % is going through Craven. Which works out to at least 17.5 to 29.2 Billion litres of Regina’s so called treated sewage is potentially making its way to Last Mountain Lake. With out the actual records of Sask Water it would be difficult to confirm the total diverted sewage into the lake. What is known is that 29.2 Billion litres which is released by the Regina Sewage Treatment Plant directly enters into the river system. The quality and quantity of water that enters into Last Mountain Lake, via opening and closing of dams and weirs, is ultimately decided daily by the staff at Sask Water.
Eating fish caught on Last Mountain Lake may Domestic water is a valuable resource and it needs to be protected!
become a thing of the past due to polluted waters.
Contaminants found in wastewater range from biological to chemical in nature.
Respiration of Microorganisms (Aerobic chemolithotrophs and Anaerobic chemoorganotrophs)
Excessive BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) in sewage fluids may enhance anaerobic conditions in groundwater areas and cause significant contamination and water quality problems.
Drycleaning wastes: A certain percentage of water is contaminated with organic solvents, perc, during the drycleaning process. This water is then flushed out into the sewer where it then carries the solvents to a wastewater treatment plant. If a sewer line is disjointed or has a crack in it, these solvents can enter the ground and possibly groundwater.
Potentially toxic metals, such as lead, copper, tin, iron, zinc and manganese may be found in high concentrations from human wastes and also occur from deterioration of household pipes.
Virtually all water pollutants are hazardous to humans as well as lesser species; sodium is implicated in cardiovascular disease, nitrates in blood disorders. Mercury and lead can cause nervous disorders. Some contaminants are carcinogens. DDT is toxic to humans and can alter chromosomes. PCBs cause liver and nerve damage, skin eruptions, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and fetal abnormalities. Along many shores, shellfish can no longer be taken because of contamination by DDT, sewage, or industrial wastes.
Dysentery, salmonella, and hepatitis are among the maladies transmitted by sewage in drinking and bathing water. Millions of Americans drink water that, while not technically unsafe, has an unpleasant odor or taste imparted by pollution. In the United States beaches along both coasts, river banks, and lake shores have been ruined for bathers by industrial wastes, municipal sewage, and medical waste. Water pollution is an even greater problem in the Third World, where millions of people obtain water for drinking and sanitation from unprotected streams and ponds that are contaminated with human waste.
"What are the real safety and health concerns when dealing with human sewage.
Wouldn't it be a bright idea to to come clean on the problem and protect the
people and the lake that we all love?
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Copyright 2002. Save the lake project.
Last Modified: May 19, 2002