Businesses that flush inappropriate materials into the sewer system, potentially clogging the pipes and taxing treatment plants, now face dramatically higher fines from the Central Okanagan regional district.听
The maximum daily fine was boosted from $1,000 to $3,000 after concerns were raised that some business owners were simply not complying with the rules despite repeated warnings.听
Certain wineries, car washes, and restaurants are among the most notorious non-compliers and itsa国际传媒 relatively easy for regional staff to identify where the egregious effluent is coming from, regional district directors heard from staff.听
鈥淲e have a really neat piece of equipment that goes down the manhole. We鈥檙e able to isolate exactly what business is feeding into that manhole and test every few hours, from that business through that manhole, for a week,鈥 regional engineering chief Travis Kendel said.听
鈥淪o we can actually get a very good understanding of what they鈥檙e flushing down the sewer system, and when,鈥 Kendal said.听
To which regional director Wayne Carson replied: 鈥淲ow, you really get in there!鈥
Businesses like wineries are supposed to have on-site pre-treatment systems to prevent banned materials, such as yeasts, salts, alcohol, metals, and acids, from getting into the sewer systems. Restaurants and car washes must use grease traps for the same purpose.听
But some, particularly in West sa国际传媒, do not follow the rules, directors heard. The amount of prohibited material getting into the treatment plant is taxing its operating capacity and might result in costly upgrades being required sooner than currently planned.听
Sewer contamination is a problem in certain industrial and commercial areas, but testing has shown no equivalent concerns in residential neighborhoods, Kende said.听
鈥淭hes (higher fines) should encourage businesses that are non-compliant to take action,鈥 said West sa国际传媒 Mayor Gord Milsom.听
sa国际传媒 city councillor Maxine DeHart said business owners who don鈥檛 do the necessary pre-treatment are just increasing the chance of having to call in a costly professional.
鈥淚 know a lot about grease traps, being in the hotel business, having four or five restaurants in there,鈥 said DeHart, who works at the Ramada. 鈥淣ot only does (contamination) hurt our wastewater systems, it hurts the business too because it backs up the sewers, and how many times do you have to have a plumber come in to replace certain things.鈥
