Portage moves forward on ‘leachate’ plan
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PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE — The city is moving forward with a multi-phase system to manage contaminated liquid at its landfill, as officials report high diversion rates and new enforcement measures for haulers.
Landfill manager Jamie Lilley presented the annual landfill report to city council recently, highlighting the ongoing construction of a “leachate” management system. Leachate is a contaminated liquid formed when precipitation mixes with household chemicals and hazardous waste within the landfill cells.
“It is a contaminated liquid,” Lilley said, noting that provincial regulations mandate that the substance must be contained on-site. “We have to put it into a holding pond just to evaporate the liquid off and all the heavy metals over the course of years and years.”
The project is currently moving through its first two phases, which involve extracting the liquid through specialized pipes and monitoring wells before pumping it into a holding pond for evaporation. A third phase, involving a second pond, remains a possibility if more capacity is needed.
The report also noted that the city’s recycling program successfully diverted 82.5 tons of material, including metal, plastics, mattresses, and tires to licensed facilities last year.
To help cover rising costs, the city has increased rates for commercial haulers from $65 to $80 per ton, while septic fees rose from $4 to $6 per ton.
Lilley also warned the city is implementing a $250 fine for unsecured loads. “Nobody likes debris on their property or on the roadway,” he said, urging residents to ensure all loads are tarped and strapped before arrival.
Additionally, Lilley reminded the public to keep batteries out of the garbage to prevent fires. He pointed to a spontaneous combustion incident in the summer of 2025 caused by industrial byproducts as an example of the risks landfill staff face.
» Portage Graphic Leader