GREENSTONE — Residents of Beardmore will soon find relief from backed-up septic tanks with nowhere to dump, thanks to the efforts of Greenstone’s municipal council and staff.
At Greenstone’s regular council meeting on Feb. 26, Coun. Fran Koning and chief administrative officer Mark Wright provided a positive update about the ongoing sewage concerns in Beardmore.
Coun. Claudette Trottier originally brought the issue forward at a council meeting in early December.
Trottier pointed out – based on discussions with local residents – that the Beardmore Lagoons could make for an appropriate dumping site if the environmental licence was amended to allow for it.
While the motion to amend the Lagoons’ licence did not pass, Greenstone’s municipal council chose to further address the issue in February.
At the recent meeting, Koning said her primary concern is ensuring there is an operator available to residents who can pump their tanks at a reasonable cost and that newer homeowners across the municipality are properly educated and aware of septic maintenance – with a lack of awareness likely leading to more calls for pump-outs than may actually be needed.
In terms of how the municipality can help residents get more familiar with septic systems and the maintenance they require, Koning suggested more online resources or a flyer sent directly to homeowners might stand to benefit the community in addition to a reliable operator with a spot to dump.
“As the CAO said, ‘if you have an electrical problem, you don’t call the municipality.’ I’m not expecting us to remedy septic tank and field issues but just to find a spot for an operator that does do the pumping to dump their loads,” she said.
Wright revealed that he and municipal staff have developed a page for Greenstone’s website that outlines the use and maintenance of septic tanks and fields.
He also said staff received word from a contractor near Nipigon who confirmed they will be available to pump in the spring and already have a location to dump in a facility outside of Greenstone.
Mayor Jamie McPherson implored the contractor to begin advertising their services to residents in an effort to increase awareness ahead of spring and summer.
“We may be able to encourage that operator to do some advertising, otherwise it’s seen as us providing a service. If we can, we’ll find a way to encourage them to make their name known,” McPherson said.
Meanwhile, Koning expressed her enthusiasm with how active staff have been in finding a solution.
“I’m glad that we’re addressing this because I want our rural residents to know that we do care about them,” she said.
