Town gets tough on infiltrators

Ken Johnston

Where are you sending your surface/storm water?
That is a question that Rainy River Town Council officially will be asking if they have not already. On Monday council passed a bylaw prohibiting people from discharging or redirecting surface water into the town’s sanitary sewer system. Public Works Committee Chair Gerry Marchuk noted that the town crew has inspected about a quarter of the homes already.
Anyone who is found to be non-compliant will have up to 18 months to get in compliance. If they are still not following the rules at that time they could face up to $10,000 in fines for a first offense and up to $25,000 for a second one.
Councillor Dean Wiersema said, “Burnside Engineers said if we can fix our infiltration problem we would not need to build a new (sewer) lagoon.”
Councillor Marchuk asked the question about homes that do not have sump holes or drainage into their basements.
Mayor Glen Armstrong said, “If we are going to bring people into compliance they will have to do the dig.”
Councillor Brent Anderson said, “This issues is that important. People have to get into compliance.”
Other business
•As reported on page one, council raised water rates when it passed its Misc. User Fees Bylaw Monday.
Other fees are also going up. They include:
Tax Certificates: $50.00
Rent on Hannam Park Service Building: $100/day for profit groups, $25/day for non profit and $50 for private use (add $25 per day in the winter)
Recreation Hall Rentals (contact Rec. Board or Town for rates).
Ice Rental rates at arena: (Contact Rec. Board or Town for rates).
Town Customer Work fees all went up $5 per hour across the board.
Land Fill tipping fees for non-residents went into effect at a higher rate than those for residents which remained unchanged.
Dog tags: $10 neutered/spayed or Not neutered/spayed $20 per year.
For a complete list of fees contact the Town office at 852-3244.
•At the end of the meeting councillor Deb Ewald raised the issue of the Little St. crossing again. Clerk Veldron Vogan said the town has not had any reply to requests for a meeting with Transport Canada officials and sent another request Monday. Mayor Armstrong said he would give them until the end of this week and then put more pressure on them.
At a recent public meeting council said it would call another public meeting with CN and Transport Canada officials present to allow all the public’s questions to be answered before council decides if it will close Little St. crossing or not.
Councillor Dennis Ewald said that it is law now that crossings with two tracks need to have crossing arms and bells so the issue for RR is to close or not to close and at what cost/or savings.
He noted that the new switch at the west end of town will now allow trains to come into town at 25 mph so the gates will be needed for greater safety.
CN has obtained permits to do the gates/bells upgrades on both crossings and had said it would begin work in May.