POLL: Should the City of Toronto notify the public when bypasses happen at wastewater treatment plants?
Toronto's Humber Bay two days after the June 27, 2015 storm. (Photo via Lake Ontario Waterkeeper)
The hot and sticky summer days are here. It's time when Torontonians jump in the lake for cool relief. But in June, Humber Bay and Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant conducted a sewage bypass after every rainfall. The city's combined sewer overflows also discharged contaminated water into local rivers and Lake Ontario. Toronto's harbour turned brown for quite some time, prompting questions about whether the lake was clean enough for swimming, paddling, and boating.
With the Pan Am Games just days away, thousands are about to jump in – Torontonians and visitors from around the world. Is it time the City of Toronto informed the public when bypasses occur?
We want to hear from you.
As we wait for the the Ministry of the Environment's review of Toronto's sewage bypass notifications, find out what you can do to keep yourself safe.