Nova Scotia

Halifax Water offers temporary solution to septic woes

Private septage haulers will be able to dispose of septage loads at a secured, monitored site compliant with regulatory requirements starting Monday, June 24.

Septic loads will be able to be disposed of at secured, monitored site starting Monday

man pumping out house septic tank. drain and sewage cleaning service.
Halifax Water and the Halifax Regional Municipality are offering to help private septage haulers in the short term after a major dumping site said it could no longer accept outside waste. (ronstik/Shutterstock)

Halifax Water and the Halifax Regional Municipality will be offering a short-term solution to septic tank woes starting next week.

On Monday, private septage haulers will be able to dispose of septage loads at "a secured, monitored site compliant with regulatory requirements," according to a joint news release.

This short-term solution comes after GFL West Hants Landfill, a major septage dumping site in West Hants, told haulers last week it could no longer accept waste from the Halifax area because of capacity issues.

The news release described the issues as "an unanticipated mechanical failure at a privately owned facility."

The temporary dumping site, which is near the Aerotech wastewater treatment plant, will be available for up to three weeks.

While private septic systems are the responsibility of property owners and are regulated by the province, Kenda MacKenzie, Halifax Water's acting manager, said in the news release that the utility and the municipality "understand how essential septic tank pumping services are for residential and commercial properties to safeguard health, safety and the environment."