All Mayors,
MRC des Collines,
MRC Pontiac,
MRC Vallee de la Gatineau
Dear Mayors:
You have recently read that Dow Chemical won its court case vs. the Quebec government with respect to the fact that the product 2,4-D is not harmful to the environment. The Quebec government has no technical documentation that supported their case. Similarly,
the Quebec government has no technical documentation supporting forced septic tank pumping (or for municipal water testing or for public safety policies). I have sent 13 letters to MNA Stephanie Vallee requesting such documentation and she has not responded with the documentation, nor will she admit that such does not exist.
As most of you know, as a retired engineer, I am strongly against Quebec’s Q2.r8 mandatory septic tank pumping law because it is foolish, unnecessarily very expensive and it is not technically supported.
I have two homes at my farm. I have only emptied the septic tanks every ten years. Even so, each time that the pumper was called, I obtained his agreement that the tanks did not have to be emptied.
You are aware that Quebec law requires an engineer to design new septic tank facilities for rural residents. The cost to install a new system is very high. It is not understandable as to why this high cost will only produce septic systems that must be emptied every two years.
Recently, I have been experimenting with two products that, used once a year, deliver excellent results. I have proven that these products will eliminate the crust and the sludge in a septic tank, including paper, so that the content of the tank is always liquid. This is the case now with both of my septic tanks. They will never have to be emptied again.
Just think what the cost and truck pollution savings would be if 80%, or more, of rural septic tanks did not have to be emptied every two years … or ever. Sadly, the main obstacle to achieve this is you mayors. You have refused to force the Quebec government to do research centrally on your/our behalf and have refused to even consider doing so yourselves. There are dozens of products available to liquefy septic tanks and you should be trying to help your taxpayers by not ignoring research on these products.
There is no question that the solid content of holding tanks, and other facilities, will require some form of transportation and treatment, but the volume to be processed will be
at least 80% less than what you are forcing upon citizens today. This can be achieved by
depositing the solids, using liquid-return septic trucks, directly to a modern garbage incineration or gasification facility.
You are all aware of the unrest of our citizens throughout West Quebec … unrest and protest because of perceived poor leadership by you mayors. You cannot deny this.
Working together to perform research and to find a truly simple, modern and minimum cost approach to treating septic waste would demonstrate to your taxpayers that you really can make a difference and help them.
Why not?
Respectfully,
Steve Connolly
P. Eng. (ret.)
461 Route 105, Low, Quebec J0X 2C0