WOOLWICH COUNCIL TAKES ACTION ON WEST MONTROSE WATER & REGION'S ANNUAL (WATER) REPORTS

Engineering Report E23-2015 was tabled immediately before my Delegation to Council last evening concerning the West Montrose water supply. Dan Kennaley of Woolwich Staff indicated that he was recommending that the Ministry of Environment be approached with requests for additional information regarding why five different chemicals (disinfection by-products) were not being reported in the West Montrose Annual Reports.

My Delegation to Council followed and essentially I agreed with Mr. Kennaley's approach although I wished to significantly expand upon the requests for information as well requesting both the Region of Waterloo and the M.O.E. for upgrades to the Annual Reports. These upgrades would include things like Ontario Drinking Water Standards (ODWS) being included for each parameter (bacteriological & chemical), further industrial chemical parameters included and a definition of all acronyms and shortforms currently being used in the reports.

The final item I requested from Woolwich council was that they obtain specific data as to how much water was being trucked into West Montrose on an ongoing basis. Currently without that information it is impossible to know how serious the various exceedances of disinfection by-products are when the well water is being diluted by an unknown quantity of imported water.

Councillors Bauman and Merlihan each made Motions that were passed requiring Woolwich Township's Engineering Department to approach both the Region and the Ontario M.O.E. both for more information/explanations plus for additions to the Annual Reports. I don't believe my request for updated info on incoming tanker trucks of water was handled by a Motion. Perhaps, however that can be handled informally as it certainly is hugely relevant to the seriousness of the drawbacks in West Montrose's raw water supply.