Frequently Asked Questions
What is the mandate of the Feasibility Study?
The purpose of the feasibility study is to determine what kind of development and how much density is achievable on the site if supported by communal servicing, as well as providing engineering direction on the functionality of a communal system including the required technology and infrastructure. The results of the study will guide Council on future decisions about the redevelopment of the site.
What is the timeline for the project?
The feasibility study will conclude with a report presented to Council in spring 2022.
How can I provide input on this process?
Information and participation opportunities in the Former Sharbot Lake Public School Site - Communal Services Feasibility Study is available on EngageFrontenac.ca by clicking HERE.
What is the scope of the proposed communal servicing system?
The feasibility study focuses primarily on the servicing options and redevelopment of the former Sharbot Lake School Site. The potential to service the Soldiers Memorial Community Hall was also considered in the scalability of the system, as well as other community buildings in proximity to the site. Public buildings to be connected to the system would ultimately be determined at a future date. Private buildings were not considered for connection to the system.
Are the Site Design Options final? Is there the potential for commercial uses in the building(s)?
The renderings presented in the feasibility are visual representations of what can be achieved on the site. The feasibility study does not preclude or impede built forms, urban design, or uses on the site, in other words, while the study shows two development scenarios, there are no doubt many other ways in which the site can be designed. Plans for the site will be part of a separate process, with opportunities to engage with the public and ensuring that input about the site from the Downtown Revitalization project is taken into consideration.
How much parking will be provided?
The parking provided on the site will be determined through future development applications. The quantity of parking shown on the Site Design Options is reflective of the requirements of the Multiple Residential (RM) Zone in the Township of Central Frontenac Zoning By-law 2011-52.
How will the infrastructure be implemented?
All of the infrastructure associated with the communal servicing system will be contained within public lands, such as the school site and road allowances. No encroachment on private properties is anticipated.
Where will the intake and outtake pipes be located? How will they be maintained? By whom?
The specific locations are not determined at the feasibility study level. In general, the intake and discharge would be placed a suitable distance from shore and at a suitable depth such that they would not present navigational hazards. The intake and discharge are important components of the system and would have appropriate maintenance plans and schedules developed during the design and engineering stage of any such development. The system utility/operator would be responsible for them as they are components of the communal system. The Feasibility Study anticipates lake intake from the west basin and discharge to the east basin.
How much water is needed for the proposed number of occupants?
Water and wastewater requirements were assessed by reviewing the Ontario Building Code (OBC) and Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) guidance for water requirements. The feasibility study looked at a mixture of 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units for the development. The OBC values are conservative but are the standards required for designing drinking water and wastewater systems.
How will water levels in both basins of the lake be affected?
No change in water level to either basin would be attributable to a water taking and/or treated wastewater discharge on the scale of the communal system investigated in the feasibility study. The water taking is very small in comparison to the water body size. Also note that the water does not leave the lake watershed. Both basins are themselves large water bodies, the lake totals an area of approximately 1,636.5 ha (4,044 ac).
The west basin of Sharbot Lake is identified as an at-capacity lake trout lake, so how can we use the lake for water and septic?
The feasibility study considered water taking from the West Basin. That water would be treated and used for the potable supply which is not precluded by the basin being at capacity. Collected wastewater would be treated in accordance with stringent criteria set by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) with input from the Conservation Authority and then discharged to the East Basin. The East Basin is not at capacity.
How will the output affect fish species or plants in the lake?
Approval to operate and discharge to the natural environment is governed by the Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP). To proceed with the wastewater servicing option considered, the wastewater treatment system must be designed to treat the wastewater to meet stringent and site-specific water quality criteria that will be defined by the MECP. The selection of criteria is to ensure that fish, plants, or other natural heritage features are not negatively impacted. A treatment system must demonstrate compliance to maintain approval to operate through ongoing monitoring and reporting to the MECP.
One of our concerns is blue-green algae which is an issue in other lakes. Are there treatment options? Is there anything we can do once it's detected?
Blue-green algae blooms can be a result from increased nutrient loading and if its present in the surface water supply additional treatment would be required. Specific filtration or other treatment approaches regarding this specific method are beyond the feasibility scope of the current investigation but would be considered during any advanced design stage. Such treatments might be impractical for small systems such as single users but can be incorporated into a communal scale treatment system.
Who will be tracking / monitoring the system and its effects on the lake?
The source water protection plan would include baseline and ongoing sampling components to assess the water quality of the water for the potable water treatment system. This work would be the responsibility of the utility operating the communal system. Similarly, monitoring requirements of the discharge quality and potentially lake monitoring would be specified by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) in the Environmental Compliance Approval for the operation of the wastewater treatment system. There are also a variety of other ongoing or periodic investigations on lake health that are completed by the Conservation Authority or other parties.
Is there a waste component that is extracted in the treatment process prior to discharge and how is that dealt with?
Yes. Solids from the wastewater are settled/filtered out and the remaining effluent is treated in the wastewater treatment system prior to discharge, which will include disinfection to remove bacteria. The sludge component can be thought of as being similar to the solids that accumulate in the bottom of an individual septic tank and similarly requires periodic pump out and appropriate disposal.
Has a system like this been used on a lake the size of Sharbot Lake?
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) will require that the effluent from the wastewater treatment plant must meet stringent water quality limits. Small package wastewater treatment plants have been used in many receiving water scenarios, from large lakes to ditches that drain to small rivers and lakes. These are not new technologies nor a new application type and can be designed for a variety of lake sizes.
What is the contingency plan in the case of a system failure?
Contingency plans and redundancies would be specifically developed depending on the type of treatment technology used for the communal system. However, in general the wastewater treatment system is only producing effluent to discharge when there is wastewater to treat and as the potable water supply system requires power to operate, in the event of a power failure the supply of water ceases and generation of wastewater similarly ceases. It is expected that there would be backup generator power for both the potable and wastewater treatment systems. Additionally, it is anticipated that capacity for temporary storage of wastewater would be incorporated into the final design to allow for system repair and/or parallel treatment paths can be available so that complete downtime is minimized.