OUR MEDIA HAVE SEIZED UPON THE GRAND RIVER SEWAGE PROBLEMS

Again today's Waterloo Region Record are carrying an environmental story regarding our heritage river, the Grand. The story is titled "More barely treated sewage getting in Grand". Isn't that just yummy. Makes me want to go swimming right now (NOT).

"In 2011, the amount (sewage) more than tripled from 2010; was a whopping 38 times more than in 2009; and was more than four times the amount discharged in 2008.". These comparisons are of the amounts of partially treated human sewage being discharged into the Grand River from Waterloo Region Sewage Treatment Plants. By the way Ken (Seiling), calling them Wastewater Treatment Plants doesn't make the stink any less.

The Region claim that heavy rains are the cause for bypasses allowing untreated or partly treated sewage into the river. I find that very strange as storm water from street manholes and paved over cities is supposed to be kept strictly in storm sewers for discharge to creeks and rivers; not to sewage treatment plants. Here in Elmira we've been working hard for years making sure any crossovers in sewers are eliminated including roof drains or sump pumps being sent to storm sewers versus sanitary sewers.

The bottom line is that all our municipalities have been flogging development of all kinds whether residential, commercial or industrial. I've got news for you folks. Our politicians have long given lip service to sustainable development only. We have too many people, cars and industries for our environment to handle. This is the cost of economic growth, namely environmental degradation. It is not and never has been sustainable and that's here in Canada. God help the rest of the world. Pretty clearly my initial enthusuasm was premature regarding multi million dollar sewage enhancements as we see once again that our politicians are playing catch up with these upgrades.