HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING

Here in Elmira, Ontario I have a list of my ten favourite lies that the public have been told about our groundwater contamination caused by Uniroyal/Chemtura (& others). These lies are from the partners in pollution namely Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Perhaps an honourable mention should go to Chemtura's devoutly client driven consultants, Conestoga Rovers, as well. In a sense CRA could be viewed as more of the bad guy as they are often the spokespersons for Chemtura on either contamination or "cleanup" issues. Or one could argue conversely they are merely doing their duty to their client, Chemtura.

Regardless of the varying culpability in matters incredible; what can be confidently stated is that from time to time over the last twenty-four years, here in Elmira, we've repeatedly been fed a diet of farm animal manure. These expressions of unlikely truths have destroyed our naivite and forever obliterated our blind trust in government or corporate ethics. Therefore on that basis I am prepared without guilt, remorse or further thought to present a possible nasty or even downright horrible scenario for the contemplation of Elmira Advocate readers. I emphasize at this point in time the evidence for this scenario is thin and circumstantial at best. Nevertheless here goes.

My recollection is that the north wellfield in Elmira was drilled in the 1940's and 50's with possibly one well as early as the 1930's. The south wellfield in contrast was drilled in the early to mid 1970's. The south wellfield was shut down in November 1989 allegedly upon the discovery of a highly carcinogenic compound, NDMA, in wells E7 & E9. What received spectacularily short shrift were the other toxic industrial compounds already known in these two wells namely cyclohexylamine, xylene, styrene and perhaps even a dash of toluene. NDMA was the biggie and the alleged thunderbolt requiring emergency shutdown. Again my recollection is that the north wellfield (E2, E5, E5A, E8) kept on supplying water until it too became contaminated with NDMA, allegedly. The interesting point is that after the south wellfield, one mile away and hydraulically downgradient from Chemtura was shut down; it only took approximately a year for the plume to be drawn into the north wellfield thus shutting it down as well. Keep in mind that the north wellfield while technically upgradient from Chemtura is only a few hundred yards/metres away.

So the north wellfield was pumping water for the drinking pleasure of Elmira citizens from Uniroyal Chemical's start in Elmira during the second World War until it was shut down in the very early 90's. The multiple contaminant plumes were shifted southwards after 1970 once the south wellfield was pumping and drawing these plumes towards themselves. All it took was between fourteen and nineteen years to royally bugger the further away south wellfield, thank you very much Uniroyal Chemical. All it took was approximately a year of the south wellfield shut down to royally bugger the north wellfield, thank you very much Uniroyal Chemical.

So here's the question. 1940's until 1991 the north wellfield was pumping. Half a century of pumping with only fourteen to nineteen years of the south wellfield drawing contaminated groundwater away from the north. Shut down the south in 1989 and in a year or so the north is contaminated with NDMA. DOES ANYBODY SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THAT THE NORTH WELLFIELD WASN"T CONTAMINATED LONG BEFORE 1991 ???? Do Elmira citizens believe they were drinking clean water during the 50's, 60's and 70's??? Do Elmira citizens remember the taste and odours in their drinking water in the late 70's and 80's???

In Tom's River New Jersey, Ciba-Geigy contaminated the drinking wells in the mid 60's. The public did not find out the truth about that for a quarter of a century. Are Canadian corporations and governments inherently more forthright and honest than American ones? Call me skeptical.