PETROLEUM CONTAMINATION IN HEIDLEBURG

Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story " Imperial Oil suit cost region $260,000". What strikes me is that the way the article is written as well as quotes by regional councillor Jim Wideman; the strong impression is that the Region's big concern for the last seven years has been protecting themselves from legal and financial liability. What I believe may have been given short shrift is the public health aspect. I have posted here on April 3/14, March 8/14 and the biggest posting on March 10/14 dealing with petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in Heidleburg, Ontario. One comment regarding the more comprehensive posting of March 10 is that I believe that benzene is routinely tested for in the Region's Annual Drinking Water Reports. Other innocuous petroleum hydrocarbons such as toluene, Ethylbenzene and xylenes are not.

I will also comment that politics is often a closed club. Is this the very first time that a public newspaper has openly stated that this service station was owned by Bill Strauss, the former Mayor of Woolwich and a regional councillor? As Mr. Strauss is long gone from politics (apparently) it seems that voters have been sucessfully prevented from ever commenting at the polls upon Mr. Strauss's two or more contaminated sites. I'm referring to Heidleburg and the north end of Elmira where he operated an Imperial Oil fuel depot for many years. Then perhaps there may be yet another site; I'm straining my memory here, but Elora or Fergus are ringing a bell.

The bottom line is the past and future health of Heidleburg residents from their drinking water and those residents potentially inhaling fumes from contaminated groundwater (vapour intrusion). No longer can citizens trust their governments to protect them and be proactive. It's all about financial liability and public relations for politicians. This Heidleburg site went on the region's radar when the road under their jurisdiction was being rebuilt in 2007. Residents know that this gas station has been under remediation off and on for twenty years.