Maria Canton
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Sep 13/99) - The quality of Iqaluit's air was an issue that continued to surface at the Nunavut Water Board hearing last week.

The nine-member board was in town to hear evidence on why the municipality, which presented concepts, plans and designs for local waste and water treatment improvements, should have its water licence renewed.

But throughout the public hearing, concerned residents and regulatory agencies, such as Environment Canada and Baffin Regional Health Services, continually voiced opposition to the open-burn landfill site.

"On a bad day the smoke (from the dump) blows into my house or into town and if it isn't in town it's blowing somewhere else," said Paul Crowley, a resident who attended the two-day hearing.

"The burning at the dump is my primary concern because nasty toxins are being released into the air."

The Town of Iqaluit, however, says they have already taken steps to upgrade the solid waste treatment site that burns garbage four days a week.

"Work is under way for a new landfill sight," said Denis Bedard, director of planning and engineering for the town of Iqaluit.

"We've been speaking with a consultant about planning and designing. We would like to do away with the burning right away, but the dump would be full within six months."

The town has other plans under way as well, including a soon-to-be-complete $7-million sewage treatment centre.

The new facility, funded in part by the GN, is scheduled to open in December and will replace the current sewage lagoon.

"We are upgrading and revising our facilities so they meet the demands of the town for the next 20 years," said Bedard.

"We're asking for a three-year extension on the water licence and we've been taking steps to improve our waste and domestic water systems."

Upgrades at the water treatment facility are also scheduled to be complete by December, after several pumps are replaced and a chlorine room is added.

The water board listened to evidence from the municipality, the public and regulatory agencies for two days before deciding to allow extra time for the parties to revise their submissions on open-air burning and air quality.

"The board will deliberate the evidence before making a decision," said Thomas Kudloo, chair of the water board.

"It will probably be a couple of months before we grant the licence."

Discussions at the hearing also focused on clean-up and abandonment of old dump sites, including the old Apex site.

Iqaluit has been without a water licence since December 1998.