Welland History .ca

Historic EVENTS in and around Welland

WELLAND MUST CEASE TO DUMP ITS SEWAGE INTO THE RIVER

Chief Health Officer of Province Advises Municipality that No More Sewage Should be Emptied into Provincial Waters. Septic Tank Must be Built.

[Welland Telegraph, 30 July 1912]

Dr. J.W. McCullough, the Chief officer of Health of the Province, has sent to City Clerk Boyd a notice which, if dealt with by the Council, will likely mean that civic septic tanks for the disposal of sewage of the town must be built.

The communication is in the form of a notice to municipalities and quotes section 91 of the Public Health Act, as follows:

“No garbage, excreta, manure, vegetable or animal matter or filth shall be discharged into or be deposited in any of the lakes, rivers, streams or other waters in Ontario, or on the shore or banks thereof.

“The owners and officers of boats and other vessels plying upon any such lake, river, stream or other water shall so dispose of the garbage excreta, etc., as not to create a nuisance or permit of its gaining entrance to or polluting any such lake, river, stream or other water.”

Dr. McCullough concludes by advising that the Provincial Board of Health requires that any municipality now discharging sewage into any lake, river, stream or other water of the province shall, as expeditiously as possible, provide for the treatment of its sewage to the satisfaction of the Board. He asks the municipality to govern itself accordingly.

The town of Welland empties all its sewage into the Welland River. If the Public Health act is observed the town will have no other option than to install a septic tank.

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