Tuesday, June 24, 2014

IS OUR COUNCILLOR BAUMAN ASSISTING THE REGION OF WATERLOO IN ANOTHER DRINKING WATER COVERUP?



This spring, most likely in early April I was posting here in regards to the long time drinking water issues in West Montrose, the home of our famous covered bridge. By comparing years of regional Annual Drinking Water Reports I determined that West Montrose's drinking wells have consistently had the highest levels of Total Coliforms and E.Coli of any drinking water sources in Waterloo Region. These bacterial contaminants are associated with fecal bacteria such as those discharged from septic tanks.

After bringing this in detail to the attention of Councillors Bryant and Bauman of Woolwich Township, I was asked by Councillor Bauman to produce a list of technical questions to be handed over to the Region for their response. This was done nearly three months ago. Since then I have been informed twice by Councillor Bauman that the Region have responded in writing but no he will not give me their reponses allegedly until sometime after the Ministry of Environment provide their responses. Councillor Bauman has been advised that any future cooperation and free work done by me on behalf of the Township hangs upon my receiving the answers to my questions now.

The following are a verbatim selection of some of the questions regarding West Montrose water that the Region received.


Has the Ontario M.O.E. given the Region express permission to operate the West Montrose System with regular chloramine exceedances?
Turbidity (NTU) appears to be regularily above the standards but not regularily reported as an Adverse Incident or anything else. Have the M.O.E. given the Region permission to relax those rules/standards?

Why does the Region not report on Haloacetic Acids and Cyanogen Chloride as by-products of disinfection?

NDMA readings should be a vital part of West Montrose's Annual Report. Why not?

Is the most likely source of bacteria to the four West Montrose wells nearby septic systems? If not what is, considering bacteria from the river must travel both horizontally and vertically through sand and gravel to get into the wellscreens of WM 1, 2, 3 & 4?
Why are the ongoing deliveries of water to the West Montrose reservoir not mentioned in the Annual (Drinking Water) reports?

Is NDMA formation by chloramines increased in the presence of dimethylamine which is ubiquitous in municipal and septic wastewaters?
Allegedly many chloramine exceedances are "...from short term on-line analyser spikes." What time definition does the Region use to differentiate between regular versus short term exceedances?

Does either the Ontario Safe Drinking Water Act or O.Reg 170/03 suggest this differentiation?

Up until 2013 the Region included the actual chloramine readings. Now they simply show the greater than symbol 1e. > for exceedances. Why the change?

How many other West Montrose wells ahve been shut down and for what time periods? Have any of these shutdowns or service interruptions, off-line periods etc. been reported in any of the Annual Reports? If so please provide or so indicate. Thank you.

Three months and I'm still waiting for the responses to my own questions that have already been answered. Has somebody made a deal with the Region of Waterloo and for what exactly? Why do I think that as usual it's the public who are the losers in this coverup?






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