Save the Waves targets threats to water

[MeghanOOD]

https://oodmag.com/save-the-waves-ta...eats-to-water/

A conservation organization is now using the crowdsourcing app Save the Waves to help take on threats to the waters it’s aiming to protect.

[Marker]

I read a study many years ago on water quality in cottage country and it discussed the nitrogen spikes caused by unfiltered sewer water from cottages had the biggest environmental impact. The increase in nitrogen caused algae blooms which then consumed oxygen in the water, the algae died off when the nitrogen was used up and the dead algae then used up more oxygen in the decomposition process.

[trimmer21]

Now that regulations require every cottage to have a septic system or holding tank, doesn't that make this organization a day late and a dollar short?

[Species8472]

Now that regulations require every cottage to have a septic system or holding tank, doesn't that make this organization a day late and a dollar short?

This has been true for new builds for quite some time now but the issue remains as there are still lots of makeshift systems that were installed before this was required and/or enforced and even after it was required the inspection/enforcement process was pretty dodgy and hit and miss for many years and as a result a lot of corners were cut by less than reputable builders and installers. Then there is the maintenance aspect - cottages are not typically as well maintained as primary residences - as long the toilet flushes and the water in the sink goes down the drain most don't care. Density is an issue as well on lakes where lot sizes are small. Not that long ago as long as it met the building code requirements and you could shoe horn it in it full steam ahead. A lot of those systems did not take nitrogen loading into account and we now have 70 foot lots that are 1/2 acre in size and all drain towards the lake - conventional septic even constructed properly will do zero in that setting where nitrogen and phosphorus are concerned. Current standard on lakefront for something like that would require an advanced biological system with more complex maintenance and that is almost like a minature municipal plant and quite expensive.

Definitely better now then it was 40 years ago but lots of problems remain.

Then you get into unorganized townships - legally the building code still applies and septics have to be built to code but in reality how much enforcement is there? Lots chose to save 20 or 30K and roll the dice on whether they get caught or not.

Not even a cottage country example - last year came across a trailer park not too far NW of the GTA. They had a honey wagon that would go around pumping out raw sewage holding tanks. Whenever honey wagon was full they would take it into the bush at the back of the property and let her rip - they had been doing this for the last 40 years.

[trimmer21]

Quite obviously, enforcement is a joke. That needs to change,but,with the vastness of this province with 60% of it unorganized,that's likely impossible..

[Warren.J94]

These crowdsourcing initiatives are the future. I love iNaturalist and the like.