WINNIPEG – A large hog operation in Manitoba’s central Interlake region faces fines under the Environment Act.
Last month, Interlake Purapork, a six-month-old 6,000 hog operation northwest of Riverton, was given common offence notices for altering a lagoon without a permit and overfilling a lagoon.
Al Beck, regional supervisor for Manitoba Environment, said he was touring the area in September and noticed the lagoon looked full.
“My primary concern was that because it was so full, should it start to leak we might have a massive failure, and with the drainage ditch system in the area, we’d have a direct discharge to a river,” Beck said.
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An engineer for the department visited the operation soon after and ordered managers to draw down the manure and dispose of it on agricultural land.
Beck said the operation took immediate action.
Common offence notices are similar to traffic tickets. The company can choose to plead guilty and pay fines, or contest the charges in provincial court.
The maximum penalties are $1,000 plus $320 in court costs for each of the two offences.
Beck said the company had until Sept. 30 to decide its plea. Details were not available at press time.
The company is related to the Puratone group of hog operations, and is owned by local investors.
