The Portage Regional Landfill presented a new Leachate Management Plan to the Rural Municipality (RM) of Portage la Prairie at the recent RM meeting, outlining critical upgrades to contain contaminated liquids and protect local water sources. Landfill Manager Robert Pohl details the four-phase initiative and is excited to move forward so that the landfill can fulfill its role in meeting federal environmental standards and mitigating risks posed by toxic leachates.
Addressing environmental risks through upgraded infrastructure
Leachate is a hazardous byproduct of rainwater filtering through waste which can contain heavy metals, pathogens, and other pollutants. Pohl stresses its dangers: “It’s a black substance, and it has a lot of heavy metals and could contain disease-carrying pathogens. It is something that you do not want to be in contact with.” Currently, the landfill's systems are at “field capacity,” meaning existing infrastructure can no longer manage accumulating leachate, something the new plan aims to address.
Annual water well testing has detected elevated contaminant levels, signaling potential environmental threats. “We test our water wells on a yearly basis, and it’s a very extensive test,” Pohl says. “If we start to see elevated levels, it lets us know there may be a problem with how leachate is being handled.”
The four-phase leachate plan: containment and monitoring
Phase one, already 50% complete, involves constructing a supervised holding pond to isolate leachate. Later this spring, extraction wells will be installed in active landfill cells to pump contaminated liquid into the pond. “We will put 3 or 4 extraction wells in our existing landfill cells and 3 or 4 monitoring wells to see if we’re effectively bringing down leachate to acceptable levels,” Pohl explains. Future phases of the plan will expand containment and monitoring efforts, ensuring that in the long run, the landfill complies with federal environmental licenses.
Boosting safety through stricter fines and public awareness
The landfill is also increasing fines for unsecured waste loads, with the aim being to improve road safety. Previously set at $60, the penalty aims to deter hazardous debris spills. “We want people to properly tarp and strap their loads, so all waste gets to the landfill,” Pohl says. He underscores the inherent risks of waste management: “It’s a very dangerous profession. We don’t always know what’s in that garbage, so we treat it as hazardous.”
