WOOLWICH TO RECEIVE SOURCE PROTECTION FUNDING

This article was in last Thursday's Elmira Independent and the title under Woolwich Council Briefs was "Township to get Source protection funding from province". Boy talk about a classic case of slamming the gate after the horse has bolted. Granted the funding is only about $30,000 and it's to cover costs of changes to zoning by-laws as well as public education programs.

The irony comes in a number of issues. First off Council are currently attempting to stop underground fuel tanks being installed on Earl Martin Drive almost beside the former south wellfield (E7/E9). The car wash would like to install them as part of their business. The question is whether that wellfield will ever be up and running again. Certainly putting underground fuel tanks beside it hardly is a vote of confidence and could be the straw that breaks the camel's back, down the road. The village of West Montrose are having their local infiltration wells in the Grand River floodplain replaced with a pipeline from Conestogo. The wells in Conestogo being used will be the ones west of the Golf Course Rd. wells which are also somewhat impacted by Grand River water.

Last but not least we look at the village of Heidelberg. A little birdie has advised me that the gas station on the main corner is being excavated again to remove source material ie gasoline. My belief is that the former owner was Elmira's illustrious, longtime former mayor, Bill Strauss.

Source protection of water supplies is a good thing but preferable when done before the wells are contaminated.