Residents, feedlot owner lock horns about claim of effluent spill into nearby ditch

People who live near Lac Pelletier say effluent from a nearby cattle feedlot has spilled off the site and into a ditch that feeds into the lake downstream.

The feedlot's owners, Monette Farms, dispute that claim, saying they've been cleared by Saskatchewan's Ministry of Agriculture.

The claim is part of an ongoing dispute between people who live near Lac Pelletier, about 45 kilometres south of Swift Current, and Darrel Monette. He owns Monette Farms Ltd., a multi-million dollar mixed farm business with holdings in several Canadian provinces and in the United States.

Dan Kane, a representative of Friends of Lac Pelletier — a local residents group that monitors development near the lake — said heavy rains overflowed the feedlot's holding ponds last summer and farm workers had to pump liquid manure onto nearby fields.

On Friday, Kane was told effluent from Monette's cattle operation had spilled off farm property and into an adjacent ditch that ultimately runs into the lake . The spring-fed lake supplies drinking water for area residents, including the people who own about 300 homes and cottages at Lac Pelletier.

"We're really concerned because, obviously, of the proximity to the lake," Kane said.

"There's a lot of manure and sludge in those holding ponds. (It's) going into the ditch, and there's a possibility it could come into the lake."

Kane said he called the Ministry of Environment's spill line Friday and filled out a report. He hadn't heard back by Saturday afternoon, so he tried again. He was told the complaint was sent to the Ministry of Agriculture, which doesn't work on weekends.

Agriculture Minister David Marit, who is also the MLA for the area, told reporters at an unrelated news conference that the ministries of Environment and Agriculture were on site at the feedlot investigating Kane's concerns Monday.

"We're obviously very concerned about the water, too," Marit said.

David Kemp, general counsel for Monette Farms, said provincial engineers determined there was no effluent spill from the Lac Pelletier feedlot and that pictures showed melting snow "running into our approved water management areas."

The Ministry of Agriculture did not respond to CBC's request for an interview to confirm Kemp's statement. Instead, they issued an emailed statement saying they had investigated a potential runoff from the feedlot and notified the Water Security Agency (WSA) about the complaint.

The statement noted there was water on the property but runoff controls "are functioning as they should."

"As an additional precaution, WSA conducted a water quality test today and is awaiting results," the statement read.