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Garbage and Recycling Collection Labour Day 9/6/2010 Labour Day - Monday, September 6, 2010. Please be advised that there are no changes to the collection schedule. Landfill and transfer stations will observe holiday Monday hours of operation.   Hydrant Flushing Notice 9/2/2010 Muskoka Public Works Department will be conducting a hydrant and main flushing program from September 13 to October 29, 2010   Broken Blue Box Exchange Program 5/14/2010 Exchange your broken blue for a new one at no charge. Please click "More" for details.

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You are here: Services > Lagoons

Sewage Lagoons

Lagoons are man made ponds, lined with either clay or synthetic material, that retain wastewater for treatment. Bacteria are responsible for the majority of the activity in a lagoon system. Lagoons function 10 to 20 times slower than sewage treatment plants and most lagoons have a detention time of 30 days or longer.

Lagoons are usually 1.2 – 2.4 meters deep and have three layers that breakdown gases, organic material and accumulated solids. The top layer consists of aerobic bacteria (requiring oxygen) and algae, the middle layer has both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria (not requiring oxygen) and the bottom layer is a strictly anaerobic bacteria.

There are many biological reactions that take place in the septage lagoon and at the end of the cycle the lagoon is discharged. The treated effluent can be disposed of through exfiltration, spray irrigation, direct discharge or discharge to a municipal wastewater treatment plant.

Muskoka currently owns and operates nine septage lagoons and offers septage receiving facilities at three of our waste water treatment plants. 

By-laws

Click the following links to access relevant by-laws.

2007-51 - Being a by-law to regulate the use of hauled sewage disposal facilities. 

2010-14 - Being a by-law to update certain fees and charges and establish others.