Staff
Traffic is down slightly at the Fort Frances Airport, town council learned at its regular meeting Monday night.
With 1,039 aircraft having landed as of the end of May, that’s 36 less than in 2012, when 1,075 aircraft landed during that same time frame.
“As a result, overall revenue is slightly down,” reported Coun. Paul Ryan, who is vice-chair of the Operations and Facilities executive committee.
“For example, there was a decrease of 8,348 litres of aviation fuel purchased in 2013 compared to the same period in 2012,” he noted.
On the bright side, Coun. Ryan said the new wildlife management control fence, which was installed around the airport perimeter in October, 2011, has proved positive.
“I am pleased to say the fencing is performing very well as little to no wildlife has been permitted to enter on the airside since the installation,” he remarked.
Coun. Ryan also gave an update on the local wastewater system Monday night.
He indicated the town treated and discharged 955,912 cubic metres of wastewater over the last five months—an increase of 10.5 percent compared to the same period last year.
“When comparing the treated water discharged from the sewage treatment plant to the manufactured water from the water treatment plant, there is a difference of 391,402 cubic metres of groundwater and surface water entry into the sanitary sewer system,” Coun. Ryan said.
This is commonly referred to as inflow and infiltration (I/I) loading.
“Thus, over the past 152 days, which is five months, on a daily average the town treats 2,575 cubic metres of wastewater at the sewage treatment plant for no reason,” he noted.
In order to reduce the I/I volume, Coun. Ryan encouraged people to inspect their sump pump system and weeping tile system for their basement foundation to ensure it is not discharging directly into the sanitary sewer system.
“Your sump pump water should be discharged on your property, then travel along the ground onto the roadway, and then eventually will discharge into the storm sewer system and not into the sanitary sewer collection system,” he explained.
“This groundwater doesn’t have to be treated at the sewer treatment plant,” Coun. Ryan stressed.
“Please do your part by alleviating any groundwater or surface water discharging into the sanitary sewer system.”
Semi-annual reports also were presented Monday night by the Administration and Finance, Community Service, and Planning and Development executive committees.
