Kawartha Protect Our Water Inc.
We are committed to safeguarding the water quality of the Kawarthas and interconnecting waterways, by monitoring activities that impact on water quality.
We are committed to safeguarding the water quality of the Kawarthas and interconnecting waterways, by monitoring activities that impact on water quality.
DID YOU KNOW?
1. Our waterways are the source of many of the City of Kawartha Lakes towns and village's drinking water systems, including Bobcaygeon, Lindsay and Fenelon Falls, as well as individual systems. The Ministry of the Environment sets limits on toxic chemicals and heavy metals in Municipal drinking water, including pesticides, fertilizers and PCB's. They have not investigated the accumulative effects or the stew combination of these chemicals. Many of these toxic chemicals can also be absorbed through the skin when washing or showering. Drinking water systems cannot remove these chemicals or pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceuticals are a major problem especially hormonal drugs which may affect the reproductive organs of humans and aquatic species.
2. The Lindsay Waste Pollution Control Plant has unlined sewage lagoons causing concern that contaminants are entering the Scugog River, Sturgeon Lake and beyond. PCB's were found at the outfall of this facility and the north ditch of the Lindsay/Ops landfill. PCB's in water is significant and indicates an active source within the dump or Waste Control Plant.
3. PCB's were found in clams near the outfall of the Waste Control Plant and sewage lagoon 6. In low levels the accumulative effects are not known. The eggs of Osprey were tested at Goose Bay and were found to contain PCB's. This is concerning because of PCB's traveling to other species including birds and humans. The Provincial government has already limited the consumption of fish in our waterways due to contaminants.
4. The recently released Biomonitoring Study of the Scugog River near the Lindsay/Ops Landfill and the Town of Lindsay's Sewage Lagoons was conducted on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment. These Scugog River test sites had levels exceeding those set by the Ministry for cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc.
5. The Lindsay/Ops dump captures only 25% of leachate in the older fill area. Though this area has been capped, the Ministry may not have considered the hydrological effects. The weight of the cap may compress the garbage allowing more leachate to enter the groundwater and the Scugog River. The Ministry of the Environment has admitted that there is already a large leachate plume in the river.
6. Large plumes of algae and prolific weed growth in Sturgeon and Pigeon Lakes can be partially attributed to fertilizers, leaking septic systems, the dump and the sewage treatment plant because they add phosphorous and nitrates to the water encouraging weed and algae growth. Leaking septic systems and the sewage treatment plant contribute to our beaches being closed due to e-coli contamination.
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