Halifax Water spokesman said Thursday citizens can help solve the raw sewage problem by throwing tampons and condoms into the trash, instead of flushing them down the toilet.
“Those things are not recyclable and they’re not flushable,” James Campbell told Metro Halifax about what can be done to stop solids from ending up in the municipality’s harbour.
“They should be put in the regular garbage and be taken away for landfill.”
But he wouldn’t say what the city’s water commission is working on to block “floatables,” in lieu of screens that are now being removed from sewer outfalls.
“Staff’s not prepared to comment on in-camera items,” Campbell said, referring to a closed door meeting held earlier this week.
But HRM Mayor Peter Kelly said Tuesday the municipality is looking at other ways to stop the solid waste, while several councillors have revealed they found out during the private meeting the federal government is investigating the Harbour Solutions snag.
Campbell confirmed the investigation, explaining that Environment Canada issued “an inspector’s directive” following the January shutdown of the $54-million sewage treatment plant.
“We (have to) take all due diligence . . . to get the plant operational as soon as possible,” he said.
