A number of Bayfield residents filled the Bluewater council chambers Monday night to find out what the municipality was going to do about potential problems around active and closed waste disposal sites.
Spokesperson Deb Penhale explained that a bylaw that was passed in July of 2016 stated that no building permit would be issued for any new building within 500 metres of a closed land fill. There are three of them within the 500-metre limit of several homes.
Penhale says one of their concerns is whatever contaminants are present will also affect existing buildings and they weren't notified of the risk. She stated that until the situation is resolved, the homeowners can't sell or re-mortgage their homes, and the health risks not only threaten the occupants but drives down the values.
Penhale says she was very disappointed that council knew about the situation last summer and failed to notify the homeowners.
Bluewater council did accept responsibility for the problem and agreed to test to see if there is a problem, and to fix it if there is.
