Report of the meeting with Municipality of Low - April 22, 2008

An excellent meeting took place between the Low Municipality and the Association on Tuesday, April 22nd.  Mayor Mike Francis and Normand Schnob, Directeur Travaux Publics, Inspecteur Municipal met with Janet Bax, President of the Lac Bernard Association and Jane Barton and Chris Hanlon of the Lac Bernard Septic Team.  The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the Association, hear about how the municipality works and discuss common concerns such as blue green algae and shoreline development.

The following are the key results of the meeting:

• There are 77 properties located in the Municipality of Low either on the shoreline of Lac Bernard or with deeded access to the lake.  (about 20% of the cottages on the Lake!)  Mayor Francis provided the Association a list of the residents with their contact information.
  
  
• Septic systems: The municipality has completed a septic system program for the cottages at Lac Bernard. M. Schnob provided the Association a report completed in 2005 on the septic systems in the municipality including those at the Lake.  The municipality reviewed all of the septic information on file for each property, inspected all of the properties where inadequate information existed, classified the septic systems and – where necessary, had owners make the changes necessary to stop "direct pollution".  (Any property that was classified as "indirect pollution" could still be a source of pollution to the lake and M. Schnob is happy to talk to any cottager who wishes to have more information about their particular system.)
  
  
• Sewage Treatment and septic pumping: There is a shortage in the region of sewage treatment facilities to treat the sewage from septic tanks – and cottagers in La Pêche may find this a problem in 2008.  However, the Municipality of Low has joined other municipalities up the Gatineau to build a sewage treatment facility in Kazabazua which only cottagers in Low – and residents from the other participating municipalities – can use.  (Cottagers in Low will see a $40 a year charge on their tax bill that goes toward paying for the facility.)  When you have your septic tank pumped out, the municipality will provide you a "ticket" allowing the pumping company access to the treatment facility at Kazabazua.
  
  
• Blue Green Algae Action Plan:
  
  
  • Communications with cottagers. The province did not contact the municipality of Low when the blue green algae was found at Lac Bernard in November 2007. The Association provided Low with provincial contact names and agreed to share any contact information to ensure that, in future, communications will improve between the municipality and cottagers on this issue and others.
    
    
  • Lac Bernard Action Plan to Reduce Nutrients to the Lake: The municipality of Low is very supportive of the plan. They stressed the following key points to add to the plan:

    1.    Shoreline vegetation – especially shrubs – are critical to slowing the problem of blue green algae.

    2.    Good septic systems are key to preventing blue green algae. The rule of pumping only every 4 years if you use the tank seasonally, does not work if the system is used all summer and by crowds.  The critical issue is the amount of sludge in the bottom of the tank.  If there is a metre of sludge at the bottom of the tank – the tank must be emptied urgently or the sludge can end up going into the weeping bed – where the damage can costs thousands of dollars to repair.

    3.    M. Schnob participated in the septic inspection program at Lac Bernard in the 1980s and stressed that any septic system that was classified as a "B" – indirect pollution – then, should be inspected now since it could easily have deteriorated and be a source of direct pollution to the lake now.

    4.    M. Schnob stressed his willingness to personally inspect any septic system that a cottager, located in the municipality of Low, is concerned about. (819 422 3528 or nschnob@lowquebec.ca)  He also provided a list of engineers who are able to design, inspect and repair septic systems. (to be included on the list serve and in the web forum)

• Other issues discussed included shoreline development and access to the lake.
  
  
• Mayor Francis and M. Schnob were invited to the Spring meeting of the Lac Bernard Association on April 30th and agreed to continue discussions with the Association on an ongoing basis.