By Sue Tiffin
Published July 3 2018
Of 964 properties with cottages on the land in Dysart et al 85 septic inspections have been completed according to Karl Korpela chief building official at a June 25 council meeting.
Korpela said there were just two and a half months left this year to be able to do inspections and that a social media blitz informing people to get their septics inspected would launch soon.
“Of those 85 insepections there has been a 20 per cent failure rate that can be attributed to extra bedrooms that have been added since the septic was approved as well as physical problems with the septic system itself” Tamara Wilbee CAO told the Echo. “In some cases these physical problems could be minor fixes or they could be needing more serious remediation.”
Korpela said a recent septic demonstration on Kennisis Lake showed the importance of reinspections.
“It turned out to be a complete failure but the owner had no idea” he said. “He was flushing the toilet it was going somewhere but not finding its way to the septic. Without this type of inspection we would never have known. It was quite the experience and really shows why this type of programming is important.”
“People don’t have to wait until the program rolls around to their lake” said Deputy Mayor Andrea Roberts. “If you believe in a healthier lake you don’t have to wait for our program to roll around for your own satisfaction that your septic is working.”
According to the septic reinspection bylaw schedule Kennisis Lake Little Kennisis Lake and Paddy’s Bay are the lakes included in Area 1 reinspections which began this year and will be completed in 2019.
Area 2 will be inspected beginning in 2020 and completed by the end of 2022. Lakes include Redstone Lake Little Redstone Lake Bitter Lake Burdock Lake Tedious Lake Coleman Lake Green Lake Lipsy Lake Bat Lake Pivot Lake Silverlynn Lake Guilford Lake Pine Lake and Cranberry Lake.
Area 3 begins inspections in 2023 and will be complete by 2024. Lakes include Haliburton Lake Percy Lake Oblong Lake Eagle Lake Moose Lake West Lake Basshaunt Lake and Bushwolf Lake.
Area 4 begins in 2025 and will be completed by the end of 2027. Lakes include Drag Lake Spruce Lake South Portage Lake Long Lake Miskwabi Lake Negaunee Lake Haas Lake (Paradise) Blue Hawk Lake Loon Lake Wenona Lake Barnum Lake Hurricane Lake Head Lake Grass Lake Kashagawigamog Lake and Black Lake.
Area 5 begins 2028 and will be complete by 2030. Lakes include Grace Lake Farquhar Lake Allen Lake Big Barnum Lake East Lake Straggle Lake Little Straggle Lake Charlie George Lake Kennaway Lake Benoir Lake and Elephant Lake.
