Page 7 - SLPOA Spring 2014 Newsletter

SPRING 2014 NEWSLETTER SHARBOT LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION

SLPOA WEBSITE THE RISE AND FALL, AND
Kevin Browne RISE AGAIN OF POLLUTION

We have made changes to the SLPOA website to IN LAKES
make it easier to find information so you will see the Adapted by Rem Westland* and Ralph Pentland** from an article
difference to what it was before. To support this we written by Dr. Jim Bruce***
have developed a Forum area to support stronger
communication and discuss items of interest With the permission of Dr. James Bruce the following
between members. article is an adaptation of what Dr. Bruce presented to
the House of Commons committee on March 27,
If you wish to participate in the forum you will need 2014.¹ His presentation was focused upon the situation
to register. As this is new, the activity is increasing of Lake Erie in the context of broader Great Lakes
and we hope that you will take part as it continues to issues. Upon our reading of his presentation, however,
develop. Some topics will allow you to open your it struck us that the broad lines of concern he shared
own discussion while others will only allow you to with members of the House of Commons should begin
participate in an active discussion. If you would like to worry us in the Frontenacs as well.
to open a discussion in an area that is restricted
please contact the Executive. Property Owners’ Associations like ours typically get
active about pollution when the need for a major clean-
We look forward to your discussions and your items up is obvious. We then adopt pollution control
of interest. Please feel free to upload photos of programs of our own (lakefront rehabilitation) or press
interest as well and let us know if you are for the municipality to do its duty (septic system re-
submitting them for the photo contest. inspection).

Please note that as this information is public to all Two main concerns were addressed to the
who review it, you are required to ensure that your Parliamentary Committee. The first is over-
posts are relevant and courteous otherwise you may enrichment by the nutrient phosphorus, causing major
be banned as a user and your comments will be algal blooms which subsequently result in dead areas at
deleted. the bottom of our lakes, and near-shore problems
visible from the surface. The second is the pervasive
plague of toxic chemicals contaminating fish, water
and sediments that is already seen in some of the Great
Lakes and along the St. Laurence River.
Around larger lakes, like the Great Lakes, these
problems can be tackled vigorously by building
sewage treatment plants for all municipalities and
industry along the shores. The federal government in
the 1970s regulated phosphorus in detergents and some
toxics such as PCBs and the pesticide DDT. Efforts
like these have had wonderful effects. By the late
1980s the main body of many lakes – even the smaller
ones like ours – were pronounced healthy again. When
the MVCA issued a very positive report on our lake
some five years ago we considered that the job was
completed and well done. Some of you will recall that
in the late 1970s our public beach had to be closed on
account of E coli; and, as indicated in our association’s
minutes of executive meetings in the early 1980s, we
worried a great deal about algae growth.

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