Hearings of the International Joint Commission in re remedies for the pollution of boundary waters between the United States and Canada

by International Joint Commission

Not only are we here to confer with those interested in health matters, to find remedies for the removal of the causes of pollution, but to ascertain to what extent and by what methods, system, or lack of system are the boundary waters in this community being polluted in contravention of the terms of the treaty made between the British Empire and the United States, which provides that “These waters shall not be polluted on either side of the line to the injury of health or property on the other,” and also to serve notice that the time is drawing near when no raw sewage will be allowed to flow into these waters, and all communities in the near future will be required to treat their sewage by some process of purification before being allowed to use the waters of the boundary as an avenue for its discharge. The commission therefore desires to hear from representatives of the cities and towns bordering on the St. Lawrence River as to what is being done at this time and what plans, if any, are being considered for the future to remove the causes of pollution in these boundary waters.

By direction of the chairman, Secretary Burpee then read the notice of the meeting to be held at Ogdensburg, which was sent to interested municipalities and officials in the United States and Canada, together with copies of the report of the consulting sanitary engineer of the commission, and also the list of the municipalities to whom the notice and report were sent.

The notice and list are as follows:

NOTICE.

July 7, 1916.

Dear Sir: I am sending you a copy of the report of the consulting sanitary engineer upon remedial measures in connection with the pollution of boundary waters investigation. The commission intends to hold a hearing at Ogdensburg, N. Y., probably toward the end of August. I will advise you of the exact date as soon as it has been decided. Meanwhile the accompanying report is sent to you so that your engineers and other officers may be in a position to give the commission the benefit of their views at the hearing. If you require any additional copies of the report, please let me know.

Yours, very, truly,

—— ——, Secretary.

Municipalities to whom notice was sent:

Cape Vincent, N. Y.; Clayton, N. Y.; Thousand Island Park, N. Y.; Alexandria Bay, N. Y.; Morristown, N. Y.; Ogdensburg, N. Y.; Waddington, N. Y.; Kingston, Ontario; Gananoque, Ontario; Brockville, Ontario; Prescott, Ontario; Cardinac, Ontario; Morrisburg, Ontario; Cornwall, Ontario.