JIGS HOLLOW GRAVEL PIT

Last Saturday's Woolwich Observer carrys this story "Water table concerns delay work at Jigs Hollow gravel pit". It turns out that higher than expected groundwater levels have reduced the amount of accessible gravel. This proposed pit is located just outside Winterbourne along the Grand River. It was the subject of much debate and many Delegations to Woolwich Council over a period of a few years. Jan Huissoon expressed concerns that currently the pit is not economically viable due to the reduced material available however that might cause an attempt to change the aggregate license to permit below the water table extraction. This would however require an application for rezoning which would again be a lengthy process.

It seems that the operators, Kuntz & Preston Sand & Gravel based their gravel forecasts on a lowered water table. how often does this happen only to have extraction going on after the water table has risen significantly? In other words the 1.5 metres above the water table regulation can become mere inches above as normal groundwater levels are restored after a dry period. This is yet another loophole in this process.