ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT URGENTLY REQUIRED FOR WEBER ST. WIDENING

I am now aware of two vapour intrusion (TCE) sites in Cambridge. If the Region of Waterloo are not careful they could contribute to the creation of one in Kitchener. Today's K-W Record has the story "Family with special needs gets boot". This is in reference to the proposed widening of Weber St. from College to Guelph St in 2015. With all due respect to the family in this article, for me the serious environmental issue is the pool of Trichloroethylene (TCE) below ground less than a couple of hundred yards away from Weber St. near Wilhelm St. There have been a couple of articles in the Record with concerns expressed from neighbours about the old, long abandoned, former Electrohome factory. Allegedly TCE was dumped improperly decades ago and the current situation is one of apparent minor concern. TCE is known as a DNAPL (dense non aqueous phase liquid) chemical and DNAPL can gravity flow through the sub surface especially if it is disturbed. Obviously excavations and widening of Weber St. is going to be disturbing the sub surface. This story clearly indicates the need for an Environmental Assessment and it is my hope that it will be done with considerable attention focused on the nearby DNAPL and possible mobilization of it that could occur.