BACK TO CAMBRIDGE DRINKING WELLS

Well P9 is located just north of the old Ciba-Geigy site on the east side of Cambridge. Other than the usual reporting weaknesses and failures common to all Region of Waterloo Annual Reports; it is a relief to state that this well is unremarkable in all areas. Raw water bacteria levels are minimal to nil. Turbidity and Chlorine levels are both within standards. Sodium is a little high at 78.6 mg/l but certainly no prize winner for Cambridge drinking water. My only other complaint would relate to the legal yet disheartening practice of not having up to date (ie. 2015) results for all the solvents, chemicals and pesticides tested. Afterall this report is the 2015 Annual Report.

Wells P15 and P16 are also generally unremarkable albeit well P16 has been shut down for many years without explanation. Actually the Region use the term offline although the latest P16 test results are from 2003 which kind of tells us how long it's been "offline.". Chlorine maximum levels in P15 are a too high 3.37 mg/l which could lead to excessive Trihalomethanes (THMs) which are a human health issue. This is but yet another well in these reports which does not advise us of the THM levels.

Wells P10, P11 and P17 are part of the Pinebush Well System. Normally well P10 runs in conjunction with either P11 or P17 and those two wells alternate duties. We are advised that in 2015 there was a major expenditure of $600,000 on these wells. The description given is "Filter media and underdrain replacement". Hmm. That's it, a five word description for a $600,000 expenditure. O.K. I've got a pretty good idea what the filter media replacement would be. This well system and a few others use filters filled with manganese greensand and anthracite coal. A few years back I googled those but currently I'm drawing a blank... O.K... I just took a little Google break. Both these filter media are used for Iron and Maganese removal along wuth suspended sediments in the water. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that the bulk of this cost was the "underdrain" replacement whatever exactly that might be.

Bacteria levels, raw water Turbidity and Chlorine levels (after treatment) are all within specifications. Sodium is a reasonable 33.6 mg/l and again test reults are unfortunately from 2014.

The Shades Mill Well System consists of four wells namely G7, G8, G38 and G39. Interestingly I have a very old Cambridge map on my office wall given to me by Brenda Thompson of Cambridge perhaps twenty years ago. It shows a whole lot more wells in the vicinity of Shades Mills that I have never seen in any of these Region of Waterloo Reports. They are named as wells G30-G36. Is it a coincidence that these wells are very close to the Cambridge Landfill site? Are they currently acting as Interceptor Wells and being pumped to waste or are they simply "offline" forever?

These four wells (G7, G8, G38 & G39) also had $600,000 spent on "Filter media and underdrain replacement". Now their raw water has a little problem with Total Coliform detections. Zero E.Coli but nevertheless these bacteria results (15 detections) are a little concerning in the raw water. Turbidity is a little on the high side with a maximum reading of 1.07 NTU (Nephlemetric Turbidity Units). NTU standards are all over the map with 1.0 being a fairly common standard. Sodium levels are good and the chemical test results are all for 2015 which is good.