Saturday, June 15, 2024

DOES TWO PAGES OF EXCUSES JUSTIFY NEVERENDING PUMPING FAILURES?

 On-Site pumping of the Uniroyal/Lanxess Municipal Upper and Lower Aquifers has NOT achieved GHD's Target Pumping Rate in OVER TWO YEARS!  January 2022 was the last time they actually pumped the recommended 4.7 litres per second of groundwater in order to achieve hydraulic containment of the site only in those two aquifers. Their site is leaking into the rest of the Elmira Aquifers because they can not or will not pump a miserable 4.7 litres per second on -site and whether TAG or TRAC they won't offend anybody by demanding compliance.

Meanwhile the off-site pumping has been up and down for the last two years as well with a number of months higher than the GHD instigated Target Pumping Rates as well as far too many months well below even the minimum pumping rates as far back as 2012 . The result is that the higher off-site pumping rates (60-70 litres per second ) draw contaminants off the Uniroyal/Lanxess site and into the Elmira Aquifers but the lower off-site pumping rates (25-45 litres per second) fail to remove anywhere enough contamination to reduce groundwater concentrations of NDMA, chlorobenzene and so much more.

Every monthly "Progress Report" gives a listing of excuses as to why pumping rates, both on and off site, are not achieving the CRA/GHD determined Target Pumping Rates. The latest excuses cover two pages and are a litany of this pump is broken, this pipe is plugged , this part is on back order, the aquifer despite more rain and less pumping allegedly no longer supports this rate of pumping etc. etc.

The May 2024 Progress Report indicates that both on-site wells (PW4 & 5) are below Target pumping and four of the off-site wells are as well namely W3R, W5A, W5B and W9. I believe that this is intentional between the MECP and Lanxess knowing full well that TRAC can be relied on to always defer to smooth talking, client driven consultants and suits.

 


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