Septic systems ‘bad news’ story for northern First Nation -Kenora Daily Miner

Septic systems ‘bad news’ story for northern First Nation

By Jon Thompson
Miner and News
Thursday November 01, 2007

The same team that discovered gross inadequacies in the Pikangikum water supply has released a health report showing pandemic conditions of sewage systems on the First Nation of Mishkeegogamang.

Twenty three per cent of septic fields in the entire community, which is approximately 250 kilometres north of Ignace on Highway 599, are inoperable where major breakout and pooling is occurring in leeching fields. The locations where the fields were installed were subject to freezing and flooding, a significant number of septic tanks were unable to break down solid waste, many were exposed where they should be covered by 30 to 60 centimeters of earth , and some tanks were missing lids, exposing raw sewage to the open air. Without digging up a single field to survey underground elements, the Northwestern Health Unit found a zero compliance rate.

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