Possible jail time for wastewater violations? Dover town manager calls it intimidation

The town manager in Dover saysshe's been threatened by federal enforcement officers with jail time and heavy fines over wastewater treatment in the Newfoundland community.

"My assistant said to me she thought they were the FBI or something the way they came in," said Yvonne Collins, describing the visit by officers last summerto the Bonavista Bay town.

• Federal, provincial governments announce $150M for N.L. water, wastewater and transportation projects

• New wastewater regulations announced by Ottawa

In 2012 the federal government introduced new legislation to control the amount of wastewater entering lakes, rivers and oceans.

"They came in and they're asking us 'It needs to be done now. And if it's not done there will be a heavy heavy fine," said Collins.

"And apparentlyI can go to jail. Well, why would I be going to jail when I can't do anything without council approval?"

She said the officers left after she explained what the town was doing to move towards meeting the regulations. She said thevisit was intimidation.

"I don't know if they're going to take me in cuffs or what but they said they will be back," said Collins.

She said that Dover'scouncil is currently looking at options formonitoring of the town'swasterwatersystem.

"We have all our documents and stuff what we've been doing."

Federal Regulations

Collins could be personally responsible for the town's failure to follow the regulations because of documents she's responsible for as town manger, said Mayor Tony Keats.

"If your town is not complying and not keeping up with things that need to be done within that framework then the town manager is responsible and could have legal action," said Keats.

"So you've got a lot of town managers out there right now that's a little bit scared."

Keats said there's only three municipalities in the province that are following thewastewater treatment regulations.

Councils had to submit applications for transitional authorization. Approval from the federal government would allow for some leniency with wastewater systems until 2020, 2030 or 2040.

Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador saidthe best way to avoid charges is for communities to show their due diligence as they try to improve wastewater management systems.

"We've got no problem doing it but when there's no money involvedand the time frame of 'You gotta have it done today'it'sa big concern for us," said Keats.