Controversial Wainfleet ‘Big Pipe’ Plan Is Officially Dead

By Doug Draper

The years-long battle between many of the residents of the Township of Wainfleet, Ontario and Niagara’s regional government to construct water and wastewater pipes through the municipality to solve problems with leaking private septic systems is officially over.
Niagara’s regional council agreed this April 15 to end any further pursuit of the so-called ‘Big Pipe’ idea that has been opposed by numerous residents in the township and to look more closely on on-site solutions to the septic leakage instead.

Work toward the pipe plan, including the cost of hiring numerous study consultants over the past five or so years has cost the regional government about $2.8 million.

Niagara’s regional staff say they will continue to monitor water quality in Wainfleet and advise residents and visitors to the municipality to boil water they obtain from cisterns or wells due to the possibility of unsafe bacteria counts. The region will also work with the township and property owners to fix or replace septic systems contributing to water population.

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