Wanted: More drainage engineers, maybe

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

The number of drainage reports filed in Ontario is in decline, but the number of engineers with experience to do these reports is declining even faster, says Tom Marentette of Dillion Consulting in Windsor, who is chair of the land drainage committee of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers.

Marentette says that last year there were only 40 engineers who had produced reports in the past listed with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture. In practice, he says, there are probably only 20-25 actively producing such reports now.

Why are the number of reports in decline? Marentette cited a number of possible reasons. Drains might not be maintained under the Drainage Act. And maybe the decline in farm numbers is responsible. "You don't need an engineer to do the maintenance if there is an existing bylaw the (municipality's drainage) superintendent can follow."

Marentette says there is more control in the hands of individual drainage superintendents if an agreement is made with the other agencies. As well, it appears that, under new legislation, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans "may be getting out of ditches and water courses altogether."

Says Marentette, who has family involved in agriculture: "I think farmers have said: 'Enough is enough. We are not the bad guys here. We need to do what we have to do to get water off our fields.'" BF