Wellesley fields questions about new septic-system testing requirements
A PROGRAM REQUIRING 61 homeowners in Wellesley Township to pay for septic inspections due to their proximity to the municipal well has rubbed at least one resident the wrong way.
“In five years when it comes to being inspected, I feel it’s only fair that everybody who is on the water system in Linwood pay a certain percentage of us 30 who have to get it inspected,” Jim Dorscht said. “As far as the pumping goes, I’ll pay for the pumping. I do that every five years anyway. But the inspection should be everybody gets a certain percentage to pay for it because they’re using the water, that you are making us look after our septic system to be good.”
About half of those 60 residents live in Linwood.
Dorscht asked what it will cost for the inspection. Township chief administrative officer Rik Louwagie said they don’t have definite numbers, however.
“As I understand it, you
are working with the region to pay for the first pumping of the septic tanks. Correct? And for the inspection you are going to waive the first inspection? Dorscht asked.
Louwagie said the Region of Waterloo is working on a program to waive the first inspection.
“That’s right. We’re using grant money to pay for the first inspection,” Louwagie said.
The next inspection will be in five years when homeowners have to pump them again.
“You are sort of holding a smoking gun to our head, being so close to the well that we’ve got to do this,” Dorscht said.
Louwagie made it clear the inspection is not a township initiative, but a provincial one. It’s required under the Source Protection Act. They have until August 2017 to complete the inspections, as per a report from the Grand River Conservation Authority, said Louwagie.
“The province is the one that’s mandating these inspections. We’re the lucky ones that get to do the inspections because we’re the principal authority on that,” Louwagie said.
Louwagie said he plans to bring a proposal to council sometime next year that they start working on a program whereby all residents of the two villages would pay for that septic inspection program.