Consulting engineers hired to help clean up Ottawa River

W.F. Baird and Associates has been retained by the City of Ottawa council to do a water modelling plan of the state of the Ottawa River.
The modelling will be used to determine the best way to reduce water pollution, as well as to evaluate new anti-pollution technologies.
Ottawa Mayor Larry O’Brien said, “I am pleased with this initiative to safeguard the Ottawa River…. With proper water quality modelling, we will improve our ability to detect problems and trends in the Ottawa River, and be able to act quickly to ensure a safe and healthy waterway for our residents.”
The press release noted that water quality modelling could be used to evaluate and assess the environmental impact of a number of Ottawa’s current initiatives, including its stormwater management plan and combined sewer area pollution prevention and control plan.
The federal government has pledged $20 million to Ottawa for the prevention of sewer overflows, and the city council agreed to match that amount in the 2009 budget.
This fall, city staff will report to the planning and environment committee on the costs and other necessary resources required to reduce the city’s impact on the Ottawa River. One option is for the city to eliminate its discharge from combined sewer overflows.