Environmental Services

Environmental Services is a new division formed with the amalgamation of the Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal.

It includes:

• the Cardinal Water Treatment Plant
• the Cardinal Wastewater Treatment Facility
• the Spencerville Lagoon stabilization ponds
• the Edwardsburgh Water Distribution System (to New Wexford and the Industrial Park)
• the Cardinal Water Distribution System
• the Spencerville Wastewater Collection System
• the Cardinal Wastewater Collection System
• six Sewage Pumping Stations (three in Spencerville and three in Cardinal)
• one new sewage pumping station under construction in Cardinal (Sawmill Creek subdivision)

Fast Facts:

Cardinal Water Treatment Plant:

• Original water system installed in 1895 when the Canada Starch Company purchased a steam water pump
• Original piping was made of lead
• 1897 when the new canal was being constructed, water pipes were laid under the canal to service the north side of the village
• 1898 Canada Starch constructed the first elevated storage tank which held 100,000 imperial gallons
• 1924 Installation of first chlorination system (by Canada Starch) at a cost of $1,275.00
• 1960 Canada Starch elevated tank torn down, system went on direct pump
• 1988 Building permit issued to construct new elevated water tower with a capacity of 450,000 imperial gallons for the village. The work was done by Landmark Contracting from Burlington at a cost of $995,000.00
• 1989 Building permit issued for a new Water Treatment Plant for the village at a cost of $3,500,000.00

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Cardinal Wastewater Treatment Facility:

• Prior to 1920 individual privies or outhouses
• 1921 Installation of sewer mains and holding tanks along the banks of the canal, two on the old canal and one on the new canal
• Late 1940s Henry Street holding tank converted to a pumping station
• 1950s New pumping station built on Adelaide Street
• 1975 Highway # 2 Pumping Station, Adelaide St. Pumping Station and Henry Street Pumping Station were all converted and pump to Casco Lagoon
• 1990s Village Council approached M.S. Thompson Engineering to look into various designs for a Wastewater Treatment Facility
• 1993 New pumping station at Henry Street
• 1995 Preliminary design presented for a state-of-the-art plant and new pumping stations at Adelaide St. and Highway # 2 East
• January 9th, 1997 New SBR Sewage Treatment Plant up and running
• July 5^th, 1997 Official Opening

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Spencerville Stabilization Lagoons & Collection System:

• Prior to 1988 private septic systems
• 1988 New stabilization two-cell lagoon
• Modern collection system
• Three pumping stations: 3 Spencer St., 6 Charles St, 2803 County Rd. 21

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Environmental Services Staffing

At the present time the Staff of Environmental Services consists of three full-time and one part-time provincially certified operators, and two part time mechanics. Prior to 2001 the Spencerville operations were contracted out to the Village of Merrickville but with amalgamation the Township opted for its own staff to operate the Spencerville Lagoons and the Edwardsburgh Water Distribution System. All systems are monitored 24 hours per day, seven days a week with an on-call operator available at all times.

Water Conservation

Visit the Web sites below to find out more about using water wisely.
Water Wiser
Canadian Water & Wastewater Association
Environment Canada Water Efficiency/Conservation
US Environmental Protection Agency Water Use Efficiency Program