CHEMTURA CANADA PROGRESS REPORT- OCTOBER 2011

October's Report is the skinny version. There is no Appendix focusing on on-site containment. Hence there are no groundwater elevation maps to ostensibly show containment in the Municipal Upper aquifer nor is there the Figure showing the difference in water elevation between the Canagagigue Creek and the Upper Aquifer which under natural conditions discharges to the creek. These absences of vital information can be laid directly at the feet of the former CPAC who felt compelled to give undeserved concessions to Chemtura.

Last month here in the Advocate I advised that the on-site pumping on the Chemtura site, in the Municipal Aquifer, has been steady and solid for nearly two years. Well this has now ended. The real news however is the off-site pumping. This is allegedly where the rubber meets the road in regards to achieving the restoration of the Elmira Aquifer to drinking water standards. Jeff Merriman pf Chemtura mentioned it at last month's CPAC meeting and that the results have been disappointing for a number of reasons. Disappointing grossly understates the situation. Hypocritical is a better word. The whole premise for the off-site cleanup is flawed by the M.O.E.'s (& others) refusal to acknowledge and examine all the other off-site sources of contamination to our drinking water. Ignoring that for the moment and swallowing the premise that Chemtura acted alone in the murder of our drinking water, we are advised that Conestoga Rovers computer model has determined how many gallons of water need to be pumped and treated each month from the aquifer to clean it up. Coincidence or not off-site pumping has been in the crapper for the last year or since we turfed the bulk of our Municipal Councillors.

As bad as it's been, October 2011 is the prize winner. The average pumping rate for all off-site wells is supposed to be 53.1 litres per second. Last month it was 26 litres per second or less than half. Keep in mind that back in June 2009 after an extended period of time of being unable to meet their own pumping targets, Conestoga Rovers (consultants to Uniroyal/Chemtura) REDUCED their computer modelled targets from 64.5 l/sec to 53.1 l/sec. Now they can't even meet those REDUCED targets. I'm fed up to here with the neverending excuses. The old CPAC and the M.O.E. sold out Elmira citizens in regards to source removal, in favour of promises from Chemtura to use inferior and cheaper pump and treat technology. It's bad enough being sold an inferior product but Chemtura can't even deliver on that.