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“Since the plume appears to originate at a single point, it may be that one of the 16 diffusers on the outfall has been damaged — which could result from either storm wave action or boat anchors,” he wrote to city senior communications co-ordinator Kris Scheuer and Highland Creek plant manager Martin Shigeishi.

“Toronto Water will schedule a diving inspection of the diffusers to verify they have not been damaged.”

In her response to Shigeishi and Quarisa, as well to Toronto Water program manager Diane Chester and general manager Lou Di Gironimo, Scheuer recommended city staff leave out any mention of the inspection.

“I suggest we leave this out as the inspection would not happen until next spring at the earliest and the reporter did not ask specifically if diffusers were damaged,” she wrote.

A diffuser pumps oxygen into sewage or industrial wastewater to break down the pollutants.

The FOI documents show a former Toronto Water contractor also contacted the department that same day, acknowledging “one of the access manhole covers was left off about two years ago and that’s what is causing the blob. He says he reported it a year ago but it hasn’t been replaced.”

I suggest we leave this out as the inspection would not happen until next spring at the earliest and the reporter did not ask specifically if diffusers were damaged

Toronto Water confirmed that was the case.

On Nov. 24, Toronto Water commissioned a further inspection and “found that the access hatch had become dislodged and was the source of the plume,” Di Gironimo told the Sun last week.

A marine contractor retained by the city repaired the diffuser on Nov. 29, the department manager said.