VARNICOLOR CONTAMINATION AT HAWK RIDGE HOMES

The majority of the groundwater contamination in both the Surficial Aquifer and the Upper Aquifer flows in an easterly direction from Varnicolor towards the Canagagigue Creek. Dissolved contamination however when forming a plume usually spreads out in ever widening circles prior to following the downgradient direction of flow . Dense non aqueous phase liquids are much less predictable as they will gravity flow both downwards and horizontally along a downwards sloping less permeable surface, without regard to the direction of flow of groundwater.
“The appearance of elevated concentrations of several compounds in the deepest piezometer (M2-1) completed in the lower sandy unit is a source of concern as it suggests that contamination of groundwater has occurred in this zone. …It should be noted that shallower piezometers had better water quality.” This quote was from pg. 17 of a report written by Canviro Consultants for Varnicolor Chemical at the request of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.. The date of the report was September 1986, three years prior to the discovery of toxic chemicals in the south wellfield and three and a half years prior to the M.O.E.’s public denials that Varnicolor was a polluter of the groundwater.
This monitoring well (M2-1) was the only one at that time on the Varnicolor site which was screened in the Upper Aquifer. All the others were screened in a much shallower Surficial Aquifer. The Upper Aquifer is the same aquifer which yesterday’s posting indicated at BH1 (Hawk Ridge Homes) contains NDMA, TCE, Acetone , Toluene and Carbon Disulfide. For the next seven years plus (after 1986) monitoring well M2-1 was allegedly out of service and hence unable to give us evidence of much deeper contamination at Varnicolor . The Upper Aquitard, a less permeable layer above the Municipal Aquifer at Varnicolor, is only 3 metres thick according to Golder Assoc. contrary to stratigraphic maps drawn by Conestoga Rovers , on behalf of Uniroyal, showing an Aquitard between 7 and 14 meters thick. All of this is merely more damning evidence of the ongoing coverup by the M.O.E. and Uniroyal (Chemtura) surrounding other sources of contamination in Elmira to the Municipal drinking water aquifer. Other sources I might add which are neither being acknowledged nor properly remediated.