Village of Baddeck cautiously accepting new sewer and water hookups

The village commission in Baddeck, N.S., has lifted a moratorium on new sewer and water hookups that was implemented last year over concerns about the capacity of the Victoria County community's aging infrastructure.

Demand for treated water exceeded the wells' regulated withdrawal limits and partially treated sewage sometimes bypassed the treatment plant and went directly into the Bras d'Or Lake.

At the village commission's annual general meeting on Monday evening, chair Jennifer MacDonald said development is now cautiously going ahead under the watchful eye of engineers.

"We now feel that we do have a limited capacity," she said. "We're still having bypass events. We're still having withdrawal concerns from our wells. We're not in the clear, but we do know that a single family home here and there isn't going to put undue stress on the system."

Development was brought to a standstill last year as the community grappled with the cost of repairing systems that were built decades ago.

At Monday's village meeting, with about 40 residents in attendance, MacDonald said about 70 per cent of the material being treated by the wastewater system was not coming from homes and businesses, according to water meter readings.

She said water is infiltrating the sewage system and the village is trying to figure out where it's coming from.

It's most likely rainwater, because rainy weather coincides with capacity issues at the treatment plant, MacDonald said.

An engineering report on the wastewater system is expected this fall, which will help the village plan repairs and expansion and determine how much that will all cost, she said.

However, the water treatment system is also not efficient, MacDonald said.

Expansion is possible

An engineering report found most of the water that is treated is not being delivered to homes and businesses.

Some of that loss is through leaks and some of it may be through customers receiving unmetered water.

MacDonald urged residents who are not receiving a bill to call the village office.

She said a recent study found there is plenty of water in the aquifer, so it's possible to expand the treatment and distribution system.

The commission chair said the village is gradually getting a handle on its infrastructure needs and is making plans for improvements, which is why new hookups are once again being accepted.

"In the interest of not inhibiting development, we're opening those things back up based on a case-by-case basis again," MacDonald said.

"Would we have capacity for a large development? Likely not, but single family dwellings and small commercial hookups, we can certainly accommodate those things at this stage."

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