Georgian Bay Water Quality At Risk

The Georgian Bay Preservation Alliance believes that water quantity and water quality should be the single most important considerations for the preservation of Georgian Bay area and we believe the commitment to pristine water quality is not something that can be “grandfathered away”. Leaching septic systems have been a longstanding issue for the Bay and continues to be a major source of phosphorus in the Lake.

These concerns were included in all of our comments submitted as part of the Official Plan Review, the Zoning By-Law Review and budget submission, and while we made some progress in this, there remains significant work to do to create a complete and thorough septic re-inspection program.

Septic Certification Business Plan

The Georgian Bay Preservation Alliance has taken the initiative to create a Septic Certification Business Plan that would tackle the Township of Georgian Bay’s ineffective and weak Septic Re-Inspection Program. This new Septic Certification Program is based on these guiding principles:

  • The program should be self-funding and add no new costs to the Township;
  • All systems should be certified compliant by technically competent resources, with the latest standards every five years; and
  • No systems should be grandfathered.

With the Plan completed, it has been reviewed by experts to ensure we present Council with a plan that is rigorous, cost-effective, and most importantly, protects our water. Qualified experts in urban planning/engineering, septic system installers and ESSE Canada have reviewed the plan, with the Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association having evaluated it as part of a best practice procedure development for municipal re-inspection programs.

To view the plan, please click here.

As Georgian Bay Biosphere Charter members and custodians of the world’s largest freshwater archipelago, and designated UNESCO biosphere, it is of utmost importance that the Township’s septic program have the resources necessary to ensure that no threat is posed to the Bay or surrounding waterways from septic systems.

How can I help this campaign?

You can help this campaign by donating, sharing our efforts, and volunteering. Through your action—you are ensuring that we can help hold municipalities accountable and that regulations are made to prohibit and update faulty systems.