GROUNDWATER PUMPING TRENDS IN ELMIRA

On-Site Pumping i.e. Municipal Aquifer (MA) pumping on the former Uniroyal Chemical site (now Lanxess Canada)


Prior to any off-site pumping at all (started in July 1998), the on-site pumping was not competing against or pulling against any other pumping thus they were pumping at a small 2.4 litres per second on the site. After 1998 however and the start of off-site pumping, in order to prevent loss of on-site containment, greater on-site pumping was required. Generally the on-site total pumping in the MA was around 4.4 litres per second. By 2009 and after the disastrous lack of pumping in 2008, the on-site pumping was routinely around 5.3 litres per second. This allegedly was high enough to maintain hydraulic containment on-site despite the competing pumping off-site. Of course we had been promised 6.0 litres on-site by Jeff Merriman of Chemtura but that never happened.

By the end of 2014 a monthly average of 6.0 litres per second may have occurred a half a dozen times or so in the previous few years. Mostly however on-site pumping was a fairly respectable 5.6 litres per second. Both 2015 and 2016 maintained on-site pumping in the 5.7 to 5.8 l/sec range. Then in 2017 things started to slip slightly. By 2018 however and through 2019 to date pumping has regressed to the 4.7 to 5.1 l/sec range. Not good!


Off-site pumping was very poor especially late in 2007 due to the proposed ammonia treatment system (ATS). Until November 2008 and the completion of the ATS off-site pumping was disgraceful. The MOE/MECP moaned slightly but did nothing else. The year 2009 saw pumping rates for the first time exceed 60 litres per second for four of the twelve months. 2010 had five months exceed 60 l/sec. 2011 had three months exceed 60 l/sec however with the other nine months plummeting into the 30s to 40s l/sec. The first half of 2012 was very bad although then five of the last six months exceeded 60 l/sec. 2013 and 2014 pumping rates were all over the place with three months each year exceeding 60 l/sec and nine months being in the 40s and 50s l/sec.

2015 finally saw a stabilization in pumping rates with eight months exceeding 60 l/sec. Keep in mind the excuses/reasons and promises for the future were neverending from CRA/Chemtura as to what was going on. Regardless at 60 + l/sec average monthly pumping rates the companty was still miles away from the November 2012 promises to CPAC and the public of a tripling of the off-site pumping rates from 52 l/sec to approx. 150 l/sec. 2016 and 2017 off-site pumping rates by comparison were the best and most consistent ever. Ten months in 2016 and eleven months in 2017 exceeded 60 l/sec average monthly pumping.

The first eight months of 2018 were mediocre to poor with pumping rates finally again exceeding 60 l/sec for the last four months of the year. 2019 with the exception of February has been by comparison the best ever with monthly averages for the first time exceeding 70 l/sec in May and June and the other months to the end of August exceeding 60 l/sec.

Stating that pumping rates continue to rise and fall like a toilet seat is accurate. Also the fact that on-site pumping does not appear to be rising as off-site rates rise is problematic. Are we pumping greater amounts of past contamination out of the Elmira Aquifers or are we drawing on-site contamination off-site and then pumping it as well?