Lakeshore region mandates septic system inspections

The Township of Wainfleet on Ontario’s Lake Erie shore has no municipal sewer or water services – all residents rely on septic systems. In 2006, amongst growing concerns about the quality of drinking water, the township’s governing region of Niagara did testing and found that contaminated groundwater in the lakeshore area was caused by failing septic systems. With 1,200 properties in the lakeshore area, noncompliant septic systems had to be corrected. “The upper-tier government pursued getting sewer and water service,” says Greg Wuisman, Wainfleet operations director. “But that was a very costly solution to the problem, so as an alternative our