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Association for the Preservation of the Bouctouche Watershed
L’Association pour la préservation de la bassin versant de Bouctouche
MEDIA RELEASE
31 October 2002
For Immediate Release
Groups Seek Investigation of Hog Manure Lagoon
For the past three years, the Association for the Preservation of the
Bouctouche Watershed has
been raising concerns that the large hog manure lagoon located in
Sainte-Marie-de-Kent may be
leaking and contaminating a tributary of the Mill Creek which flows into
the Bouctouche River.
Now, the Association thinks it may have some proof, according to Jerry
Cook, spokesperson for
the Association. "These large-scale manure lagoons represent very
primitive technology and the
likelihood that they could leak has always been high", says Cook. To
test their suspicions, the
Association contacted Inka Milewski, Marine Science Advisor for the
Conservation Council to
set up a water-sampling program.
According to Cook, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, in
cooperation with the
Association for the Preservation of the Bouctouche Watershed, conducted
a water sampling
program for fecal coliforms along a small watercourse which once crossed
an area now
occupied by a large manure lagoon. "During the construction of the
lagoon, this watercourse
was diverted and a subsurface drainage pipe was installed as a
mitigating measure", says
Cook. The sampling program consisted of three sample sites along this
watercourse: the spring,
which is the source of the watercourse; the watercourse, before it
enters the property where the
lagoon is located; and near the pipe, where the watercourse is supposed
to exit the property.
These sites were sampled on three separate days (September 28, October 4
and October 21).
Samples were analyzed at Atlantic Water Testing in Moncton and a private
industry laboratory.
"The results of the sampling show a clear pattern of higher fecal
coliforms , 10 to 100 times
higher, at the point where the watercourse leaves the property", says
Milewski. "Between the
point at which the watercourse enters the property and the point at
which it exits, there appears
to be no other possible point-source of fecal coliforms other than the
manure lagoon. One
possible source of these fecal coliforms could be wildlife such as deer
and rabbits. However, if
this was the case, we would see the same low levels at the pipe exiting
the property as we see
where the stream enters the property and that just isn’t the case,” says
Milewski.
Milewski believes fecal coliforms are a <<deleterious substance>> as
defined by section 36(3) of the Fisheries Act. "I have written to
Environment Canada asking them to investigate the manure lagoon as a
possible source of fecal coliform contamination. If this proves to be
the case, then the operation is in violation of section 36(3) of the
Fisheries Act and should be prosecuted accordingly" says Milewksi.
Fecal coliform contamination of shellfish beds is a chronic problem
resulting in a significant
loss of livelihood, as well as recreation, for many local residents.
According to Milewski,
large manure lagoons such as the one in Sainte Marie-de-Kent pose a
significant threat to water
quality for humans and wildlife, particularly shellfish.
- 30
Contact:
Jerry Cook, Association for the Preservation of the Bouctouche Watershed
- (506) 523-2701
Inka Milewski, CCNB Marine Science Advisor - (506) 622-2460
Association for the Preservation of the Bouctouche Watershed
L'association pour la préservation du basin versant de Bouctouche
Web: http://www.mondata.com/action
E-mail: mailto:pigs.poop.politics@mondata.com
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