Quinte West is serious about protecting Oak Lake from environmental impacts like those caused during a serious manure spill last year and now it's up to residents to do their part too.
That was the sentiment shared by Director Public Works and Environmental Services Chris Angelo during a packed public meeting at the Batawa Community Centre Tuesday night where a consultant presented its findings and recommendations into a year-long probe into the water quality at Oak Lake.
Residents have been vocal about environmental impacts for years but health and safety concerns mounted following a serious manure spill in the lake that forced the boil water advisory in March 2018. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Hastings Prince Edward Public Health got involved after a tile broke and pig manure from Barr's Barley Hill Farm ran downhill 750 metres through the Detlor Farm's shared drain into the south side of the lake in Sidney Township. After multiple meetings Quinte West council agreed to pay Hutchinson Environmental Sciences $100,000 to complete an extensive environmental review on the lake. Angelo said given the fact the spill was the most significant concern raised by residents surveyed it’s ‘incumbent upon the municipality to ensure something like that doesn't happen again.’ He will be recommending council approve the paying $250,000 cost to reroute the farm's tile drain away from Highway 14 from the lake to another wetland.
To read further click here - https://inquinte.ca/story/staff-wants-quinte-west-council-to-kick-in-additional-250k-to-protect-oak-l