Nova Scotia pledges to help rid LaHave River of sewage straight pipes
'Homeowners will be paying their share,' says Mayor Don Downe
The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg has partnered with the provincial government to eradicate straight pipes that send sewage into the LaHave River.
The two government bodies signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday, in which the municipality and province agreed to identify homes with straight pipes and develop a program to replace them.
Illegal in Nova Scotia
Currently around 600 homes are releasing 1,000 litres each of raw or partially-treated sewage through straight pipes in the LaHave River, the Nova Scotia Environment Department said in a statement.
Straight pipes are illegal under the Nova Scotia Environment Act, which also states individual property owners must make sure their sewage systems are properly maintained.
The cause was championed by elementary school student Stella Bowles, who posted online test results of river water to pressure local politicians into action.
Government money requested
In June, the municipal council voted in favour of applying to the federal government's Building Canada Fund — to the tune of $17 million.
If the application is successful, it will mean a combination of provincial and federal money will cover two-thirds of the cost, Mayor Don Downe said Thursday. Homeowners will be expected to pay the rest over a seven-year period, he said.
"Homeowners will be paying their share," Downe said.
Future swims possible
The elimination of straight pipes could begin as early as March 2017, with the intention of having them entirely gone by 2023, Downe said.
As for the river's water quality once straight pipes are eliminated, hydrology expert Rob Jamieson said in an email it will very likely improve.
"Assuming that the straight sewage pipes from domestic residences are the primary source of fecal microorganisms to the river, I would expect that the river would eventually be swimmable if these sources were removed," the associate professor with Dalhousie University said.
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