WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP RURAL WATER SYSTEMS

I've already critiqed the City of Waterloo Annual Drinking Water Reports with Waterloo being the location that the pipeline to Elmira and St. Jacobs comes from. That was done just a few days ago. Today's report concerns the rural systems in West Montrose (1), Conestogo(2) and Maryhill (2). Overall I've found far fewer problematic issues relating to industrially contaminated groundwater as expected in the rural areas. One exception may be Heidelberg but we'll come to that in a few days. I readily admit that my knowledge of agricultural contamination is considerably weaker than my knowledge of industrial contamination. Therefore I have difficulty in assessing the risk involved with contaminates like nitrates, sodium and disinfection by-products like Chloramines, Trihalomethanes (THMs) and Haloacetic Acids.

First off the West Montrose well system consists of four river wells. These are located in the floodplain of the Grand River and are probably what are known as GUDI wells. This is Groundwater Under the Direct Influence of surface water. The main issue with these wells is that as they are partly replenished with surface water they are more prone to bacterial contamination. Hence there is usually massive disinfection required which does increase the levels of both THMs and Chloramines in the treated drinking water. Similar to the other rural Woolwich Systems there are slightly elevated Method Detection Limits (MDL) for a number of pesticides and industrial chemicals which I find somewhat strange. The good news is that all the test results are from 2013 unlike so many of the Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge results.

The first Maryhill Well System is called the Village Heights System. It consists of two wells (MH3, MH4A)and all the test results are from 2013 as well. While THMs and Chloramines are not an issue unfortunately Nitrates are somewhat high. That being said they do not exceed drinking water standards. Similar to West Montrose there are a number of industrial/agricultural chemicals with slightly elevated MDLs. It is really difficult to know whether that signifies anything therefore I wish the Region would include explanations when they use different MDLs for the same chemicals only in different locations.

The second system is known as the Maryhill Water Supply System and consists of two different wells (MH1, MH2). While Nitrates are a non-issue unfortunately there are elevated sodium levels. The sodium doesn't have a rigid drinking standard however it greatly exceeds the long term recommendation. Chloramines are also high and exceed half the prescribed drinking water standards. Again there are some elevated MDLs; while the good news is that the test results are all appropriately from 2013.

The last two systems are for the village of Conestogo. The Conestogo Golf Water Supply System consists of two wells named C5 and C6. From past research I am confident that they too have some surface water influence (Grand River). That being said they do not appear to have either elevated Chloramines or THMs. Nitrates are somewhat elevated and again there are a few elevated MDLs for industrial/agricultural chemicals. My concern for some time has been the possibilty of chemicals from the discharge of the Canagagigue Creek into the Grand River upstream of Conestogo possibly getting into these wells. As NDMA and many other industrial chemicals are not tested for in any regional well systems we will never know for certain if there are other industrial chemicals present.

The second Conestogo Well System is known as the Conestogo Plains Water Supply System. It consists of two wells namely C3 and C4 and these wells are located up by Northfield Dr. and Sawmill Road. Obviously these wells are not at all influenced by surface water and unsurprisingly have no Chloramines or THM issues. In fact other than again slightly elevated MDLs for a few chemicals they appear to be in very good shape.