City investigating potential sewage in Chedoke Creek

The city is investigating what appears to be sewage stinking up Chedoke Creek.

Overflowing sewage has been a problem in the creek, which runs along Highway 403 and empties into Cootes Paradise, but it has reached a whole other level, said the city’s water director.

“I would say it is of a larger scale and magnitude than it has in the past,” Andrew Grice said.

The city was made aware of the situation last week and has taken steps to find the source of the problem, including ensuring the wastewater collection system is functioning properly, and to confirm whether it is raw sewage or something else, he said.

But so far, they haven’t found the “silver bullet,” Grice said.

Next week, they’ll use cameras to inspect a section of nearby sanitary main close to where the Ministry of Transportation is working in case construction has affected infrastructure, he said.

Hamilton resident John Boddy, who often cycles the Desjardins Trail, said he started noticing a musty smell along that stretch late last summer. This year, the water had turned a dark grey and had a constant odour.

Last week, he said he noticed a sheen of oil over the water and plastic objects floating in it, but nothing compared to what he experienced Thursday. “It just reeked to high heaven.”

The stench and what he described as grey, floating masses prompted him to file a complaint with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

The ministry assigned an environmental officer to follow up with the city and inspect the site Friday, spokesperson Gary Wheeler said.

Boddy is “disgusted” this could happen to a “jewel in Ontario.”

“Putting sewage in Cootes Paradise is like pooping on your front yard.”

Tys Theijsmeijer, head of natural lands at the Royal Botanical Gardens, said they told the city about the situation a couple of weeks ago, but it worsened with the recent heat wave.

The first water sample in May set off “alarm bells,” and the following two showed no improvement. “The creek is operating like a sewage treatment (plant),” he said. “That’s what it looks like and smells (like).”