ANNUAL REPORTS: REGION OF WATERLOO - SOME GALT WELLS

Well G4 is located on the west side of the Grand River in the south end of Cambridge although it is further north than Canadian General Tower which is located beside the Grand River. Wells G5 and G6 are located respectively just north of the former Ciba-Geigy and just south of it. Funny how low level solvents and chemicals from Ciba-Geigy weren't showing up decades ago in the drinking wells when its' spill history was discovered but are present nowadays. Well G9 is on the east side of the Grand River and southerly near the Allen-Bradley Co. and possibly also near the (former?) Long Mfg.

Well G4 has Sodium at high levels namely 96.7 mg/l versus the recommended 20 mg/l. Chlorine levels in the treated water have reached 2.99 mg/l while the criteria indicates a hard maximum of 3.0 mg/l. The Heterotrophic Plate Count had a maximum of 92 CFU (Coliform Units) when municipal treatment systems are supposed to be capable of keeping it at 10 or below. Too many industrial/agricultural chemicals are at Method Detection Limits of 1 part per billion (ug/l) or higher including Glyphosate at 25 ppb. Most disturbingly well G4 was shut down for 26 weeks last year and well G4A was shut down for 25 weeks.

Well G5 has Nitrates at significant values although below the provincial criteria. Chlorine levels have reached 2.9 mg/l which is too close to the criteria (3.0) and Sodium levels are at an incredibly high 243 mg/l. 1,1 Dichloroethylene is in the treated water at .98 ppb which while concerning is below the provincial criteria. Of course the Region of Waterloo do not include the Ontario Drinking Water Standards they merely state YES or NO in the Exceedance column. MDLs are far too high in this well as well. Shutdowns again without any breakdowns or repairs required include 29 weeks for well G5 and 21 weeks for well G5A.

Well G6 has both high Sodium values (162 mg./l and high Chlorine levels (2.90 mg/l) in the treated water. Method Detection Levels are far too high for at least ten industrial/agricultural chemicals. Lastly Metolachlor is found in the treated water at .44 ppb which again is below the provincial standard. This well was shut down for only six weeks in 2019 although again no explanation is given and the report does specifically say that no money was spent for breakdowns or repair.

Well G9 has issues with Sodium ( 162 mg/l) shutdowns and with Trichloroethylene (TCE). MDLs are also too high for too many chemicals. The TCE is at 1.44 ppb which is less than the provincial standard which used to be at 5 ppb but should be lower. This well was off-line for an incredible 32 weeks in 2019.

There is nothing good happening when municipal wells are regularly shut down for months at a time while authorities ask for water restrictions but fail to advise why all these wells are shut down.