InnisfilToday received the following letter from reader Nick Vollebregt in response to our article, titled, 'Residents still wondering who is to blame for 2020 sewage spill on 6th Line,' published Aug. 17.
After waiting more than 18 months for the guilty parties to finally stop investigating and actually accept responsibility, I would like to thank (BradfordToday) reporter Natasha Philpott for taking the time to report on what has and has not happened since that Jan. 11, 2020 Innisfil sewage spill. Especially as it appears more and more that, outside hiring expensive lawyers, only with free press functioning as it should, will citizens have any protection from being pushed around by big business and government.
With reference to your article, I would like to provide some additional information and feedback for the benefit of your readers.
As far as still not getting real answers, I would like to refer you to your article’s statement ... attributed to Mr. Parkin, Innisfil’s Clerk, that: “Given that this matter continues to be with our insurer, the town and Innservices cannot comment on ongoing litigation.”
This statement is in direct conflict with information sent out by the Town of Innisfil’s Assistant Solicitor, Louise Vrebosch.
Specifically, on Jan. 11, 2021, on the anniversary of the sewage spill, after sending the town multiple requests for updates on their “investigation,” I did finally receive a response from the town’s solicitor.
In her response, she wrote: “I’m attaching for your information the letter that went out to your insurance company on July 27, 2020 regarding the outcome of the town’s insurer’s investigation.”
In that letter it stated: “We are the third party administrator appointed by the insurers of the Corporation of the Town of Innisfil, to investigate the above noted (the sewage backup) incident. Our investigation into this matter is now complete with all facts having been reported to our principals who have now instructed us to advise that based on the circumstances involved, your claim for damages is hereby denied.”
As far as the number of homes damaged, I always understood that it involved 24 to 25 homes as well as the synagogue. The 13 you mentioned in your report may just be the ones who bothered to formally tell the town about sewage having damaged their homes. Besides these homes, our local synagogue probably experienced the most damage.
And yes, the town did offer this grant program to subsidize the installation of these backflow valves but even if our homes had these valves installed prior to Jan 11 sewage spill, the overall pressure caused by all that stormwater that was allowed to enter Innisfil’s main sewer pipe would have blown these backwater prevention valves to bits.
This also explains why not many affected homeowners accepted the town’s grant and, like me, probably saw it more as a PR effort.
Our biggest concern, besides still not accepting any responsibility by these three parties of any liability, is with the proposed development of Phase 3 and 4 prior to the new sewage pump station becoming operational and with the new Cortel Orbit Project.
With construction of a normal subdivision already having created many stormwater control issues for this developer, the town and Innservices, now adding the Orbit Project to that same vulnerable piece of land seems unwise and one which really calls into question the rationale for the issuing of the MZO by the Ontario Government just weeks ago.
Nick Vollebregt
Innisfil