Managing Human Sewage in Tiny Township

This article is intended to increase our understanding of how human sewage is managed regionally in Tiny Township.

In preparing this article, I consulted with Bill Goodale, P.Eng., of Tatham Engineering; Tim Leitch, P.Eng., of Tiny Township Public Works; Dirk Woudenberg; Greg Anthron of the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP); and residents living near agricultural fields that receive septage and Sewage Treatment Plant Sludge (STPS). I also consulted background studies recommended by the Severn Sound Environmental Association, correspondence between FOTTSA and Mayor Evans, and my own experience.

When I was Deputy Mayor, Councillor Doug Taylor and I negotiated a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Midland so that Tiny's septage could be treated at the Midland Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). Subsequent councils, in their wisdom, did not follow through on the MOU process. I also followed the discussions surrounding the proposed construction of a sewage treatment lagoon in Tiny to treat septage.

This article is intended to provide a thorough, though not exhaustive, overview of sewage management. For clarification, septage is the material pumped from residential septic tanks, while Sewage Treatment Plant Sludge (STPS), also known as biosolids, is the residual material produced by municipal sewage treatment plants.

This article is not intended to outrage or downplay the issues, but rather to inform readers and contribute to the discussion about the best path forward.

How Septic Systems Work

Tiny Township has more than 10,000 homes. When toilets are flushed, the wastewater typically flows into a household septic tank.

Most septic tanks have two chambers. In the first chamber, solids settle to the bottom, while the liquid flows into the second chamber for further separation. From there, the partially treated effluent flows into the weeping bed.

The weeping bed introduces oxygen into the wastewater, helping naturally occurring microorganisms break down bacteria and organic matter. The liquid then seeps through perforated pipes into the surrounding soil, carrying any remaining contaminants with it.

A typical person uses approximately 275 litres of water per day. Therefore, a household of two people sends roughly 550 litres of wastewater into the ground each day through a septic system.

Whether that wastewater ultimately affects groundwater, nearby lakes, or streams depends on many factors, including the distance between the weeping bed and the groundwater table, the proximity to surface water, topography, and the permeability of the soil.

Although this is not a perfect system, it has generally proven to be effective. Otherwise, the impacts on both human health and the environment would be much more severe.

Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement, especially when considering what happens when a septic tank is pumped and its contents are subsequently spread onto one of the two fields licensed to receive septage.

Holding Tanks

Homes with holding tanks do not have weeping beds. Instead, the wastewater remains in the tank until it is pumped out by a licensed hauler and transported either to an approved land-application site or to a regional sewage treatment plant.

Septage contains pathogens, household chemicals, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and low concentrations of metals originating from plumbing materials and household products.

These concerns motivated Tiny Council, from 1991 to 1994, to enter discussions with Midland about sending septage to the Midland Sewage Treatment Plant for treatment. However, those discussions were ultimately not pursued by the subsequent Council.

Septic Reinspection and Beach Closures

In the early 2000s, particularly during the summer of 2002, Tiny experienced a significant number of beach closures. This prompted Council to initiate the septic system reinspection program, which continues to this day.

In conversations with Tim Leitch and Bill Goodale, both expressed the opinion that the reinspection program has been successful, as reflected by the apparent decline in beach closures.

This conclusion seems reasonable. However, I attempted to confirm the beach-closure data through the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. At the time of writing, obtaining this information has been complicated by Freedom of Information bureaucracy, and the data was not available.

Other factors, beyond the performance of septic leaching beds, can also affect beach closures. One important factor is the presence of livestock within stream watersheds that drain into Georgian Bay.

Over the years, livestock density has generally declined in both Ontario and Tiny Township, and this may have contributed to fewer beach closures in some areas. Rainfall patterns, waterfowl populations, shoreline disturbance, and swimmer numbers may also influence beach water quality.

Septage Application on Agricultural Fields

There are currently two agricultural fields in Tiny Township that receive septage. Both have operated for many years under Certificates of Approval issued by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).

Field spreading is permitted only during the non-winter months and must not occur during rainfall events.

The Fairlane Lake field, located at Awenda Park Road and covering 6.4 hectares, has a groundwater monitoring well.

The second field, located at Concession Road 15 (10.56 hectares), between the 14th and 15th Concessions, does not have a monitoring well.

Licensed haulers transport septage, including both septic-tank and holding-tank waste, to these fields. During the winter and shoulder seasons, septage is transported to regional sewage treatment plants, such as the Collingwood Sewage Treatment Plant.

Midland closed its aging sewage treatment plant infrastructure to Tiny's septage in 2024. However, an agreement is currently in place to allow Tiny's septage to return to the Midland Sewage Treatment Plant, with implementation anticipated in late 2027, as confirmed by correspondence with Midland's Director of Public Works.

Is Field Spreading Safe?

As noted, licensed haulers must comply with strict regulations. Septage cannot be spread during winter, on frozen ground, during rainfall, or on land with excessive slopes.

Additional regulations specify the types of agricultural crops on which septage may be applied. Some crops intended for more direct human consumption must not be exposed to septage near harvest time, while crops such as animal feed can be exposed to septage closer to harvest.

Nevertheless, concerns remain about whether all regulations are consistently followed.

In my discussions with residents living near one of the application sites, they expressed concerns about odours, possible non-compliance with the Certificate of Approval, and the potential contamination of nearby groundwater and surface water.

Representatives of the MECP have stated that water contamination in the area could also originate from nearby septic systems. Some residents have also reported feeling intimidated when raising these concerns.

These residents are our neighbours, just as the licensed haulers are. Their concerns deserve to be addressed thoroughly, fairly, and transparently.

It is up to Council to determine the best process for doing so. I suggest establishing an independent, blue-ribbon committee composed of skilled citizens, such as hydrogeologists, engineers, elected officials, and informed community representatives, to review the evidence and provide recommendations to Council.

Returning Tiny's Septage to Midland

The move to transport Tiny's septage to the Midland Sewage Treatment Plant (MSTP) in late 2027 will help address some of these concerns, but will it be a complete solution?

Recent correspondence between FOTTSA and Mayor Evans is revealing. A representative of FOTTSA expressed concerns about septage spreading and its possible relationship to beach closures.

FOTTSA has long been a strong advocate for ecological health in Tiny Township, and I share many of its concerns. However, as noted earlier, beach closures are influenced by many factors and cannot be attributed solely to septage spreading.

Mayor Evans' response was encouraging. He referred to the recent announcement that Tiny's septage would once again be accepted at the Midland Sewage Treatment Plant.

However, his letter also suggested that residents may have the option of either having their septage transported directly to approved agricultural fields or to the MSTP.

It is likely that treatment at the MSTP will cost more than direct field application, and I would expect many residents to use the direct field-spreading option.

What Happens to Biosolids?

Even if all of Tiny's septage is eventually transported to the MSTP, one reality remains: the sewage treatment process still produces biosolids that must be managed.

These biosolids are classified as Type 3 non-agricultural source material under Ontario regulations and are subject to specific application guidelines.

Before land application, the material has undergone treatment through settling, aeration, filtration, and other treatment processes designed to reduce pathogens.

Biosolids from the Midland and Penetanguishene sewage treatment plants are transported by tanker truck to approved agricultural sites in Tiny. These fields are different from the septage-receiving fields.

The biosolids are pumped into temporary storage bladders located beside fields and are then applied to agricultural land by pumping them onto nearby fields.

Dirk Woudenberg provided me with background information on this process.

One of the recognized advantages of biosolids is that they are rich in plant nutrients, allowing farmers to reduce their use of synthetic fertilizers. Crop restrictions also apply. For example, crops intended for direct human consumption are managed differently than crops destined for processing or animal feed.

I have also been advised that biosolids are not applied to the same fields indefinitely and that approved application sites rotate over time. However, at least one field known to me has received biosolids over several years.

Questions About Biosolids

It would be irresponsible to conclude that this ends the discussion.

Several important questions remain:

• Are biosolids routinely tested for pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, pathogens, and microplastics before land application?

• If these substances are detected, what technologies exist to reduce or remove them?

• Should groundwater monitoring wells be installed near fields that receive biosolids year after year?

These are among the questions that should be examined by the proposed blue-ribbon committee.

The 2011 Environmental Assessment

In 2011, Tiny Township initiated an Environmental Assessment, conducted by Burnside Engineering, to examine alternatives for managing septage.

One option considered was the construction of a lagoon system within Tiny Township. Lagoon systems require significant land and are commonly used in the Prairie provinces, where space constraints are less limiting. These systems can also be designed with varying levels of treatment sophistication.

I followed this process closely. Ultimately, the proposal was set aside in favour of pursuing regional cooperation with neighbouring sewage treatment plants.

Fifteen years later, many questions remain unanswered, but there is reason to hope that returning Tiny's septage to the Midland Sewage Treatment Plant will address some of the concerns.

What Should Happen Next?

Looking ahead, I believe the proposed blue-ribbon committee should investigate several issues. These include:

1. Whether all of Tiny's septage should be treated at the Midland Sewage Treatment Plant throughout the year, with any exceptions clearly identified.

2. Whether a groundwater monitoring well should be installed at the approved 14th/15th Concession septage field, which currently lacks one.

3. Whether monitoring wells should also be installed downgradient of fields that receive biosolids over many years.

4. Whether spot testing of septage loads should occur.

5. Whether biosolid loads should be routinely tested before land application.

In the longer term, we should also continue to investigate emerging technologies for managing sewage residuals, including thermal treatment and other innovative disposal or resource-recovery methods as they become technically, environmentally, and economically feasible.

One such method is combining fly ash from coal thermoelectric plants with septage.

Looking Forward

Ultimately, we must recognize the limitations of our current systems for managing septage and sewage biosolids.

Improvements have been suggested that seek to protect our water resources while addressing the legitimate concerns of neighbouring residents. As always, the financial implications must also be considered.

After years of property-tax increases that have exceeded the rate of inflation, residents will rightly ask what additional costs they can bear.

Nevertheless, I believe this is a Tier One issue that deserves careful consideration by our next Council.

CONTACTS

info@tinytra.ca