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 Greg Kehoe, public works director, stands before the honey bag disposal area. Kehoe is concerned because people are dumping household garbage and contaminants, like the container of oil shown next to his foot, into the pit. - Cheryl Robinson/NNSL photo |
Greg Kehoe, director of public works, said people are dumping household garbage and chemicals into the honey bag pit, which is putting the city's water licence at risk.
The contents of the pit seeps through the soil, into the lagoon and ultimately into Great Slave Lake.
"We're worried about the condition of the honey bag pit. It's not meant for oil or propane tanks and household garbage," said Kehoe.
Currently, the dumping area is completely open to the public.
Kehoe said the area could become closed during the week, with access permitted only over the weekends.
Christa Domchek, who lives on a houseboat, said she uses the honey bag dumping pit around twice a month.
Domchek said the limited access wouldn't bother her, but that she thinks it should be open at least once a week so houseboaters and other people who don't have piped sewage have enough access to the area.
Domchek did point out the honey bag problems were "really all about enforcement."
Kehoe said a monitor may be placed on site for the first few weekends after the limited access begins, to ensure people are dumping the proper materials.
"We're not sure how it's going to work yet, but we would like public feedback. People can e-mail their concerns to the city, attention public works," said Kehoe.
Ed Hornby, manager of the South Mackenzie district for the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, oversees the enforcement of the NWT Water Act and said it isn't likely the city's water licence will be revoked.
Hornby said before revoking the city's water licence, fines of up to $50,000 could be imposed, but even the chances of laying charges isn't likely.
"If it gets bad enough eventually we could give them direction to have the place manned or something like that," said Hornby.
He did say the oils and other contaminants in the honey bag pit are a cause for concern.
"It can slow the biological action of the lagoon if garbage and other contaminants are in the honey bag disposal.
"And the less effective the lagoon is, the more chance of exceeding the oil and grease discharge limits."
If the oil and grease discharge limits are exceeded, Hornby said the city could be required to have filtration systems in the lagoons, because the natural filtration process of the lagoon can't filter out high amounts of oil and grease.
