REGION'S WATER SUPPLY CRISIS GETTING NASTY: THANK GOODNESS

Why do I say "Thank Goodness" above regarding our water crisis getting nasty? I say it because history has shown that when all the stakeholders get together, hold hands and sing from the same choirbook; the public get it in the ear. In fact it's almost a given. The prime local example is the 1989 Elmira Water Crisis.  As long as the Ministry of Environment (M.O.E.) and Uniroyal Chemical were at each others throats in front of the Environmental Appeal Board (EAB), then the public were learning all the dirty environmental secrets of a multi-national, multi-billion dollar corporation . The plan was for the M.O.E. to then take the stand for examination and cross-examination after Uniroyal were finished. It never happened because Uniroyal knew that they had the dirt and the goods on the M.O.E. who were more than willing to sell out the public interest in order to save their own credibility and reputations. This the M.O.E. did by offering a sweetheart deal which allowed Uniroyal to save hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup costs. These saved cleanup costs included both the downstream Canagagigue Creek as well as not forcing Uniroyal to remove as many DNAPLS as possible on and off their site.

The hoped for nastiness today is between local developers & builders  against the Region of Waterloo. It's even possible that we might see some sort of Region versus the province nastiness if we are very lucky. Do not be fooled by peace, love and harmony between essentially hard nosed, play it close to the line parties with vastly different interests. The developers and builders will quite happily build homes and commercial buildings to our very last drop of water as long as they get paid to do so. Regional Council politicians want status, recognition and when possible legacy projects to cement their reputations. Unfortunately most of them aren't remotely smart enough to actually be able to understand water systems or for that matter anything technical at all. including financing and budgets. This they do not want exposed hence they too will do almost anything to escape close scrutiny for the water crisis including selling out their constituents. Melissa Durell Executive Officer at Build Urban threw the first grenade when she suggested that the development freeze/water crisis was a "manufactured crisis".  

Both articles in today's K-W Record by Luisa D'Amato and Terry Pender suggested that regional staff and councillors might face civil and or criminal liability. Hallelujah it's about time. Generally speaking politicians like police officers have way too much immunity from prosecution or even accountability.  Throw all the stones you want and let the chips lay where they fall. If regional councillors have been ignoring staff water warnings for years and going full speed ahead on development then they need to be charged for putting all of us at risk of water shortages. The problem is there usually is enough mutual blame for the stakeholders to stop throwing stones, make nice, lie to the public and cobble together some kind of second class deal to stave off the worst of the consequences all while removing blame from the equation exactly as they did in Elmira. 

LEST WE FORGET: DEVELOPERS & BUILDERS INTERESTS ARE NOT THE SAME AS THOSE OF WATERLOO REGION RESIDENTS AS A WHOLE

 

Developers and builders want to make money today not tomorrow and the housing gravy train has been very good to them for many decades.  Just as they prefer to talk about building overpriced and grossly out of reach homes for the unhoused we have our Regional Chair Karen Redman  jauntily advising all and sundry that "...this is not about blame, this is about building a path forward." While I disagree with much of Kitchener mayor Barry Vrbanovic's comments which appear to show his dedication to the development industry, nevertheless he did strike a chord with his wish for all to know what happened to suddenly drop the bottom out of being ready for one million people here in the Region by 2051. 

Mrs. Puopolo and Masseo, developers, both want to believe that the water shortage is an engineering problem not an environmental or sustainability issue.  Minor (to them) facts such as low water elevation readings in a major aquifer are not setting off alarms as they should. I expect that these two gentlemen wouldn't concede a water shortage until the day they turn on the tap and nothing but dust comes out. Clearly freezing development permits until after the problem is both clearly defined AND if required greatly improved; is the proper action. 

Proper action also includes answering the question how did this problem sneak up on us? Obviously the Region's water department does not have an accurate handle on how much water is available from the Waterloo and Wellesley Moraines  plus from other aquifers in and around the Region of Waterloo such as Bedrock Aquifers in Cambridge, the Elmira Aquifers and more. Also I wonder just how reliable the Grand River is looking these days with the effects of greater extremes in weather upon us. 

It seems to me that often those like ex Woolwich councillor Mark Bauman and Regional Chair Karen Redman who trumpet "I won't play the blame game" do exactly that while pointing the finger at others rather than themselves.  

I SURE HOPE REGIONAL COUNCILLORS ARE PAYING ATTENTION

 

Your master is speaking and I sure as hell don't mean me or any other local citizens and residents.  Scott Higgins, President of Hip Developments Inc., is speaking and maybe he's forgotten the way of the world. You'd think that his company name would remind him though: Hip Developments as in "joined at the hip"  with our local powers that be i.e. regional government. Come on boys and girls democracy functions best when the ruled (us) can sort of believe that we have a small say in things. For that to happen the real powers of money and influence have to work together with our sort of democratically elected representatives. In other words Scott soften your approach when you blurt out "I think it's a reaction to the ineptitude in water management." Of course it is but far more than likely it's not professional water staff who are inept as much as it is non-professional, untrained for anything except shmoozing, talking and politiking regional politicians who are just trying to vote in line with the powerful and influential but sometimes they get confused.  Once you're no longer in the habit of  thinking for yourself but of simply following orders then you get into trouble.

I also enjoyed Mr. Higgins shot at our Regional Police Service. Of course their budgets are out of control and have been for decades. Again you have a bunch of twits rubber stamping police budgets with the financially challenged mayor Shantz as part of the Police Board. At least she appears to have learned how to properly fill out the amazingly simple and easy Financial Election Statements after several tries.

I will say that Mr. Marcolongo of Environmental Defence does make a strong argument to restore the Region's planning authority that was removed by Doug Ford's provincial Conservatives. Mr. Marcolongo's suggestions at least in my mind make much more sense than regional councillor Doug Craig's attempts. There is one point however that I agree with Mr. Craig on and that is that we the public should learn the history of how we got to this point in the water crisis without being notified . Of course this is dangerously assuming that it is indeed the truth that regional councillors had not been notified much earlier.

SOME WATER "SOLUTIONS" FROM THE REGION YES BUT PROBLEMS PERSIST INCLUDING INCOMPLETE ANSWERS

 

Todays K-W Record has another article by Terry Pender advising us of a staff report released yesterday. Repairs and changes to both the dormant Greenbrook water facility and the Mannheim water treatment plant are being proposed. The first would be completed by this coming September whereas the work at Mannheim will tale six to eighteen months to complete. There is also the suggestion to reallocate water from Wilmot Township to Kitchener and Waterloo. Gee I wonder how well that will be taken by folks in Wilmot Township firstly without the 700 acre land grab and secondly with that land grab included.

The Greenbrook wells have some industrial contamination in them from the nearby Ottawa St. Landfill. How extensive the "modifications" would be I do not know but wonder if they are primarily treatment issues. The Mannheim System may have it's disinfection system altered as part of their "changes" or not. Again our regional folks are being very cagey regarding chlorine versus chloramine disinfection between the two Systems as well as whether the AOP (Advanced Oxidation Process) treatment to remove trichloroethylene (TCE)  from the  Middleton Wellfield in Cambridge is problematic as well or not.

I find the so called water "surplus" in Cambridge very strange. Is this "surplus" counting all the contaminated wells and if so have they been "resting" until recently with K-W water making up the difference? Or have Cambridge residents been enjoying the thrills involved with drinking highly treated water that may have added toxic by-products of disinfection included?  For example is the alleged "stink" produced by mixing Mannheim water with Cambridge (Middleton wellfield) water merely the result of so much chlorine in both systems making the chlorine stink worse than we all ready know? Or is it something totally different and if so what is it? Also how exactly are the proposed new pumping station and watermains supposed to integrate these two systems? Pumps and watermains are not treatment facilities, they are parts of the distribution system whether internal distribution during treatment or external distribution from house to house or city to city. Once trust has been lost by authorities either gilding the lily or outright lying to citizens, then their word means nothing.

P.S. I particularly enjoyed the reporter's shots at the Mike Harris family who have done so much for the Conservative Party and so little for Ontario citizens.  Thank you for your service and goodbye.

THIRTY-SIX WASTED "CLEANUP" YEARS HERE IN ELMIRA - FOR WATER WE DESPERATELY NEED

Last Thursday Julian Gavaghan and the Woolwich Observer published the following story titled "Region left scrambling after water shortage poses development challenges".  Overall it is an excellent article and I say this despite recent criticism from myself aimed towards both the Observer and particularly the K-W Record. In the Record's case it had to do with multiple errors in a November 15/25 Record article describing the Elmira Water Crisis and the failed 2028 cleanup. Last Thursday's Observer article delineates the sensitive jurisdictional areas shared between the Region and the Townships and cities in regards to development growth. 

I am somewhat concerned when mayor Shantz suggests that "We will have to work with our development community to ensure new neighbourhoods have the services they need." Woolwich's priority right now should be sustaining services including water and sewage to our established neighbourhoods who have been paying the freight through taxes for many decades. Secondly at least mayor Shantz suggested that Woolwich is working "with" not "for" the development community because it often looks like that. 

The Region of Waterloo has approximately 100 groundwater wells however lots of them are contaminated with industrial pollution including Trichloroethylene, benzene and NDMA. The Region have always found it politic NOT to discuss those MAJOR boo boos. Besides the industrial pollution there is also agricultural pollution from nitrates and Glyphosate as well as salt from our roads. Gravel pits are also a threat to our groundwater although they are rarely denied permits to either expand or dig new ones even closer to potential markets saving transportation costs to the aggregates industry.  

The Observer article also points out the very negative effects our current Conservative Premier has had upon our water sources with less oversight and Ministerial Zoning Orders. There was also discussion of the huge costs of building a pipeline from Lake Erie to Waterloo Region. I might suggest that perhaps further discussion around the alleged impossibility of mixing the two water systems with their different disinfection systems (chlorine vs. chloaramines)  would be appropriate.

THE REGION OF WATERLOO IS TAKING A PUBLIC SHELLACKING

 

Thank God they are because politicians who don't fear the public unfortunately often hold them in contempt. In a perfect world there would be a constant level of mutual respect but that world if it ever was, no longer is. Our local papers here include the Woolwich Observer and the Waterloo Region Record (K-W Record).  I think Cambridge still have a weekly newspaper (Cambridge Times?) and Waterloo (the Chronicle). Certainly the papers here in Elmira have been all over the Region for their missteps from kicking homeless people out of their tents, to amassing a 700 acre industrial site from agricultural lands in Wilmot to screwing up assessing our water supply.  There are lots more including too much money to local police and too little to social agencies and mental health supports for the population. 

According to Luisa D'Amato's Opinion piece in today's Record there will be further answers provided at this Wednesday's Regional council meeting. Luisa is also advising that an Open Town Hall meeting is needed to regain and restore public trust. It would certainly help if it is done properly versus otherwise. A couple of points I must raise from Terry Pender's article in last Saturday's Record: Why is the Greenbrook wellfield still shut down after the ammonia/chlorine explosion there a few years back? If it is simple failure to purchase or repair damaged equipment then shame on the Region. On the other hand if it is due to the long known contamination plume being drawn from the Ottawa St. Landfill to the west, contaminating the wellfield, then fess up. Both Uniroyal and Varnicolor and God knows how many other industries dumped their toxic wastes into that landfill whether legally or illegally. Varnicolor got caught at least once illegally dumping liquid solvents  in drums into that landfill. Secondly we are advised that the aquifer that the Region found last summer to have low water levels was AFB2. Now if that is accurate that is a huge problem. Just look at the conceptual drawing included in Mr. Pender's article.  If AFB2 water levels are low then according to that drawing probably so are AFB1 located above it with only a partial aquitard between them.  This makes AFB2 a semi-confined aquifer versus a fully confined aquifer. Having two aquifers with a direct hydraulic connection would indicate that low water levels in the lower one probably also means the same with the one above. Unless... the Region are back playing games just like CRA did here in Elmira for decades picking and choosing inappropriate monitoring locations in order to fudge groundwater elevations.

A skeptic might also suggest that giving answers to most regional politicians is a waste of time based upon their past useage of data and information supplied to them by staff. Perhaps in the current critical climate they might focus their attention a little better. 

 

GOOD NEWS & BAD NEWS REGARDING WATERLOO REGION'S WATER SUPPLY

 

Firstly water table (i.e. shallow aquifer) aquifers are far more likely to exhibit dramatic changes in elevation in shorter time frames than deeper aquifers. They are also generally more susceptible to contamination as they generally have so much less ability to filter out contaminants if they are only a metre or two below the ground's surface. Much deeper aquifers 25 feet to 90 feet not only have much more sand and gravel to filter out surface contaminants but they also often or usually have less permeable clay/silt aquitards between themselves and the ground surface which dramatically slow down contaminant downward flow. It is also very possible that the shallow aquifer (water table aquifer) could be dry due to  lower than usual rainfall with only a small lessening of water levels in the deeper aquifers.

Now of course  a long drought combined with for example high pumping of drilled wells will certainly decrease even the deeper aquifers water level. If as the Region state they know that they pumped their wells during 2023-2024 as well as in 2025 at unsustainable levels then it's obvious that they know what the sustainable pumping levels are and they must NOT exceed them. Ever again for ANY reason whatsoever. This is also known as "mining" your water supply and is a recipe for long term disaster.

Hence drilling more wells into the same aquifer certainly appears like a stupid decision. Other than the Region's long ago decision to artificially recharge aquifers using treated Grand River water; you generally can not increase aquifer capacity. It turns out that for whatever reason the Region's attempts to do so through artificial recharge have not been successful. I don't know the reason why but if they know then get at it and get it working. If the subsurface or other conditions make it unlikely or impossible then move on to other options and solutions. 

There is some good news. For example my house sump pump water levels (shallow aquifer again) has been much lower over the last few years.  Lower to bone dry. Well guess what? We had a serious 1 1/2  day thaw up to 12 degrees Celsius a couple of weeks ago and my sump has been full since. Plus with the increased rain we had in October combined with tons of snow since early November I can see the shallow aquifer levels being very high from here through to maybe May or June. Yes that water does slowly move both horizontally as well as vertically . This vertical flow eventually does hit those deeper aquifers and recharges them. That is good news although I don't know yet if increased rainfall will be a further regular phenomenon of Climate Change or not.

There was an excellent conceptual model/picture of the Waterloo and Wellesley Moraines along with today's K-W Record article titled "Drying wells and Dying wetlands". Kudos again to the Record and their reporter for keeping citizens informed. Now if only that would rub off onto the Region of Waterloo. 

BETWEEN IGNORING CALLS TO DEFUND THE POLICE & FURTHER WARNING CALLS ABOUT INTEGRATING OUR WATER SYSTEMS WATERLOO REGION AREN'T LOOKING TOO BRIGHT

 

O.K. The calls to defund the police were in line with the Black Lives Matter protests and many have suggested that it was as much of a request to transfer funding from police to social agencies dealing with poverty, homelessness, mental health etc. There is much merit in that as obviously police training is more along the lines of dealing with criminals, violent people and perhaps even emergency situations such as car accidents and the like.

Today's K-W Record has two Letters To The Editor dealing with Waterloo Region's water crisis. Neither is particularly sympathetic with those in charge due to past warnings being ignored combined with equipment breakdowns that one would think to be considered normal over time.  The one warning came two decades ago from Harry Swain who wrote a report on our water system making suggestions that certainly in light of today's development freeze were right on the money. I am one of those who is quite angry to find out in hindsight that our so called INTEGRATED Urban System is nothing of the kind. In fact having a surplus of TCE (trichloroethylene) contaminated water from the Middleton Wellfield being unavailable for Kitchener-Waterloo and Elmira isn't all bad. Meanwhile there are dozens of other drinking water wells and perhaps the Region needs to share with residents as to what the other problems are. 

I must also add that I am not remotely upset that there currently is a freeze on development. Funny how all the folks making money from Growth such as developers, builders, landlords, real estate are always full on in favour of Growth, Growth and more Growth. I and many others are not. Water is but one of our problems that increasing populations have brought us. Health care and sewage treatment are two others. Lets make sure BEFORE we remove the development freeze that we are not jumping from one crisis to yet another.

MORE WATER WOES FOR BOTH WOOLWICH & THE REGION ARE THE PRICE FOR FASTER, SMOOTHER TRAFFIC FLOW THROUGH ELMIRA

 

It doesn't have to be that way however as both the Region of Waterloo and Woolwich Township favour the east side route for the By-Pass it's pretty much guaranteed. This development (road & commercial development) on the east side of Elmira will run through and over contaminated lands curtesy of Uniroyal Chemical and all their fellow travellors.  These contaminated lands will then slowly over decades or longer discharge into the Canagagigue Creek and flow into the Grand River which is one of the sources of water for Kitchener-Waterloo and Elmira residents. With to date no acknowledgement much less treatment for dissolved Dioxins and more we here in Elmira will be on the forefront of recycling via discharging NDMA, chlorinated solvents, PAHs, dioxins and DDT into the Creek and then after inadequate treatment having it pumped back up to us for household use. 

Again the obvious way to avoid this is by taking the cheaper and faster By-Pass route on the west side from Listowel Rd. to Floradale Rd., straight through the roundabout and then right on Reid Woods Dr. and then left (north) onto Arthur St. N..  This route also avoids having to build a major bridge over the Canagagigue as well as avoids all the low lying floodplain on the east side which routinely floods. 

If the process were honest which is a joke these questions about DDT and Dioxin contamination would have been honestly investigated and addressed many years ago. This however is Woolwich Township and Waterloo Region and they are masters at manipulation and deceit, especially when it comes to "investigations". Just look at both the phony Elmira groundwater "cleanup" as well as the MECAC (Municipal Elections Compliance Audit Committee) "investigations" of Scot Hahn and Sandy Shantz.  Pathetic jokes both of them.

IN YOUR FACE WATERLOO REGION CITIZENS: OUR WATER SUPPLY IS FOREMOST FOR DEVELOPERS TO MAKE MONEY NOT FOR US TO SURVIVE

 I believe that is becoming apparent as we read in the K-W Record about Waterloo Regional economic committees attended by local developers and builders as well as in today's paper that our regional councillors are attending meetings for example of the Waterloo Region Home Builders' Association.  From regional councillor Colleen James to mayors Barry Vrbanovic and Dorothy McCabe, they apparently feel the need to stroke the egos or wallets of the Homebuilders' Association. What I find interesting is that I've sent e-mails of my Elmira Advocate Blog to all three asking for help and assistance in remediating the Elmira Aquifers which would be of direct benefit to the constituents of all three regional councillors. Zero response thank you very much. Maybe they are afraid to raise the ire of our beloved mayor Sandy Shantz.  Kitchener mayor and regional councillor Barry Vrbanovic solicitously told the Homebuilders "We remain open for business," and Ms McCabe Waterloo mayor and regional councillor added "We continue to process planning files.".  Isn't that sweet. No offers of a cup of water to parched citizens in either Kitchener or Waterloo however.

Regional Councillor Colleen James also advised the Homebuilders Association that trust must be rebuilt between themselves and the Region.  O.K. maybe it's a cheap shot when you're attending their meeting and you don't suggest some sympathy and concern for the rest of us who have worked and lived here our whole lives but darn if it doesn't sting. I think at least half the water problem or more is how the Region have treated corporations, manufacturers, homebuilders and developers for decades.  It's been kid gloves even for proven large groundwater polluters from Ciba-Geigy, C.G.T., Northstar,  Uniroyal Tire (Kit.), B.F. Goodrich, Deilcraft, former Gaukel St. Post Office (Gasworks),  Budd Automotive, Sunar, Canbar, maybe Seagram's, Uniroyal Chemical/Lanxess (Elmira), Nutrite and Varnicolor Chemical. 

The Region brag about how proactive they are with Source Water Protection when in fact they never have been.  Nor have they ever flexed their muscle up here in Elmira with Uniroyal Chemical other than to quietly walk away when things weren't going well. Here is a tip for the Region. Fix the water supply to allow all of us a share LONG BEFORE you feel the need to remove the development freeze to financially benefit either developers, home builders or make Dougie Ford happy.

 

STUPID FILTH AT WRDSB GET THEIR KNUCKLES WRAPPED & USING TAXPAYERS MONEY BUY THEIR WAY OUT OF TROUBLE THEY STARTED

 

Just a side note here. Many local illuminaries  (politicians) have used the school board as a political stepping stone. Think of Liz Witmer, Sandy Shantz and many, many others. Not all current, retired or simply past staff/employees should be considered encompassed by my "stupid filth" description in the title above. Also I'm both doubtful and hopeful that it does not include Scot Piatkowski, the former Chair of the Board (trustees). Yes one could argue in favour of the "stupid" but the "filth" is too strong. He likely was acting upon advice/demands from more senior WRDSB staff. It is towards them that I send my endearments and those shitheads know exactly why.   

The Caroline Burjowski fiasco by the Board is exactly where the decades old "filth" were bound to end up. They've run roughshod over staff, parents and students for decades whenever they felt like it. They have ignored decency, courtesy and common sense knowing that their financial position supported by hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars allowed them to hide behind equally filthy lawyers (yeah I mean you "surfer boy") and slow, awkward, financially devastating, user unfriendly courts for many decades. Oh and in case the (Dis)honourable Robert Reilly feels neglected: incompetent and sometimes biased judges. Well you pissheads finally screwed up. You picked on someone who not only was in the right from start to finish but who had the financial resources to tell you lying scum to go Fuc* Yourselves.

And boy did she do that! Twice you attempted to get her Defamation lawsuit thrown out of court and twice her lawyers obviously crossed their t's and dotted their i's such that the courts had no choice but to follow the law and find in her favour. The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) knew that if they kept fighting the Defamation lawsuit which solely due to their malfeasance (misfeasance?), pettiness and meaness (malice ?) and LAW BREAKING that they were going to lose loudly, publicly and grossly. Hoo boy I'll bet that the NDA (non-disclosure agreement) they got from her cost them even more! I would especially say I hoped it cost them millions if it came out of their own pockets rather than taxpayers pockets.

Here of course is the rub. Our courts need to stop allowing proven dogs and filth from hiding behind them and lawyers when they grossly mistreat employees, staff, students and or parents. There must be some personal liability involved for the WRDSB just as there is for the individuals involved. Exactly how bad is the legal process for individuals even with adequate funding? Quoting Caroline Burjowski "What I didn't expect was how punishing the legal process itself would be- the money, the time, the emotional exhaustion,". "I've come to see that as intentional. Make the cost of speaking up so high that most people won't." Senior Board staff were and apparently are filth and more. This looks really good on all of the guilty, shameless ones.

HMM CAN LANXESS & THE MECP EXPLOIT THE DEVELOPMENT FREEZE TO JUSTIFY MORE REDUCTIONS IN PUMPING & TREATING THE ELMIRA AQUIFERS?

 

Hoo Boy who am I kidding! Of course they can! Those buggers can could use a nearby forest fire to justify burning down a political opponents house to allegedly get rid of cockroaches. Logic and reason have been shown to be easily overcome with power, influence and brass. That is the shame of our so called democratic system. Those currently in power have way too much moral suasion and authority on their side. Our U.S. neighbour and President D. Trump is a prime example. Apparently ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) agents have killed U.S. citizens both prior to Renee Good and since. The excuse is that not only are protesters whistles dangerous but citizens fleeing from these aggressive, hostile armed men barking orders, drawing guns and attempting to force drivers' doors open; are "weaponizing" their cars by driving away from these aggressors. Lying and bulls*it are the weapons of choice of politicians trying to wash citizens' blood from their hands.  

Ten years or so ago Eric Hodgins, then a hydrogeologist with the Region of Waterloo, advised CPAC publicly that the Region had zero interest in the Elmira Aquifers as a water source. Without blatantly saying it; it appeared that the Region knew that the "cleanup" was going nowhere fast.  Now a mere one or two years ago the Region have reversed positions. I don't believe that they have any more confidence in the Elmira cleanup as much as they have begun to realize how desperately they need at least some of this water in the Distribution System. 

Knowing the Region's "management" strategies concerning water the most likely scenario is to pump the south wellfield (E7, E9) as an "Interceptor" well blocking the advance southward of NDMA, chlorobenzene, other solvents, dissolved dioxins, nitrates etc..  Then they might get away with pumping well E 10 located just past Deadman's Curve (Hwy # 85) at Scotch Line.  Whether they would run it south to Waterloo or put it into the Elmira Distribution System is hard to say.

The Region prefer to play their games such as musical wells, timely shutdowns as contaminant plumes approach drinking wells, along with simple dilution of contaminated wells with lesser contaminated wells, in private. They really do not want citizens to know the extent of the local groundwater contamination at least until everything is set up for the big reveal being the proposed Lake Erie Pipeline.  Folks poor governance has and will continue our degrading lifestyles and health for the immediate future.

THE BLAME GAME IS NOT ALL BAD - IF IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD PERHAPS IT TAKES A PROVINCE TO REALLY BUGGER UP A WATERSHED

 

Today's K-W Record story written by Terry Pender is titled "Water permits under scrutiny as Waterloo Region faces growth freeze". It seems as if our right wing, pro business, anti environment, Conservative provincial government, just like Mike Harris so long ago, have bought themselves an environmental crisis. Do we all remember the Walkerton Water Crisis which made thousands sick and actually killed several people ? Just as importantly do we remember what was generally acknowledged as a major cause of that crisis? Mike and the Conservative government of the day dramatically cut back on Ministry of the Environment inspection and enforcement activities all to save money. This second rate inspection and enforcement was also on display here in Elmira with M.O.E. failures at Uniroyal Chemical and Varnicolor Chemical.   

O.K. so we have seen some pretty lacklustre regional performance of late however now we are reminded of some of our provincial government's stupid moves over the last five years including allegedly cutting red tape around water taking permits. These permits for golf courses, gravel pits and other industrial uses used to require environmental assessments, public notices, hearings and even indigenous consultation. No longer needed according to Premier Doug Ford . We are advised by reporter, Mr. Pender, that these water taking permits can each use more than 55,000 gallons of water a day. At first glance I felt that 55,000 gallons a day wasn't a big deal until I reread the statement. The statement suggests that each permit can use more than 55,000 gallons a day. So how many permits have been issued since Dougie and the (red tape) slashers went to town? That's kind of important don't you think?

As recently as April 2024 the commissioner of planning and development wrote a report to our regional politicians telling them not to build on or near the recharge areas of the Waterloo Moraine . His report was in response "...to the provincial government's expansion of development boundaries in southwest Kitchener. He warned the expansion could spark a development freeze because it could threaten groundwater supplies by paving over the places where rainwater and snowmelt refill the aquifers."

And here we are today. Yes I will thank both regional and provincial governments for their incompetence but lest we forget our regional councillors include a whole lot of mayors and other municipal politicians.  None of these buggers have done their jobs properly on the water file.  Maybe a major political massacre is due this fall at the polls unless Dougie and the (red tape) slashers decide to due some serious spring cleaning of old, dusty and useless bags of wind called politicians.

HAVE THE NORTH / SOUTH CONTAMINATION CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST IN WATERLOO REGION?

 

Waterloo Region in the past was blessed with large, medium and small manufacturing which provided jobs and business opportunities for many. Some of the larger manufacturers included Lear-Siegler (auto seats), Budd Automotive (car frames), B.F. Goodrich (rubber products), Uniroyal (Strange St.-tires),  A.R. Kaufman (shoes/boots) and Electrohome (electronics & furniture). I believe that these are all no longer with us but they have not left us with nothing to remember them by. Groundwater contamination almost seems to be the norm. Some of this contamination doesn't rear its' ugly head until redevelopment time comes around despite staff and employees having known sometimes for decades that there would be a day of reckoning. Furthermore if I know about them it's hard to believe that the Region of Waterloo did not.

There are three other manufacturers who come to mind . Uniroyal Chemical in Elmira, Canadian General Tower (C.G.T.) in Cambridge along with the now departed Northstar Aerospace also from Cambridge. We will be focused on the first two of these today as they are whom I've referred to as the NORTH/SOUTH CHICKENS in the title above.

The perpetually understated and under remediated Uniroyal Chemical in Elmira basically stole water from Kitchener-Waterloo by destroying the Elmira Aquifers. Those aquifers could have been capable of supplying Elmira and furthermore sending water south to the twin cities. That probability is long gone. This company is now known as Lanxess Canada and in combination with the Ministry of Expanded Corporate Pollution (MECP) have become the North Contamination Chicken.

Next we have the Middleton Wellfield in Cambridge beside the Grand River. Just like the Ciba-Geigy lies about oh we've only had a single spill of Dinoseb that caused our contamination also in Cambridge; C.G.T. initially claimed minimal releases of chlorinated solvents.  I am aware of at least one consultant who claims that the TCE (trichloroethylene) in the Bedrock Aquifers literally across the road from C. G. T. is not theirs. C.G.T. and the Middleton Wellfield are what I refer to above as the South Contamination Chicken. Yes TCE can come from dry cleaners and other sources for example.  I am however highly skeptical. 

The Middleton Wellfield has the highest treatment costs of any groundwater in Waterloo Region precisely because of their Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) used to lower (not fully remove)  TCE concentrations in the treated water for public distribution.  We have been told by Record reporters that mixing water from the two now apparently different systems, namely Mannheim (Grand River water) and the Cambridge or Middleton System produces bad smells.  Interesting! Of course any water supply system which likely means all significant or large systems must by law be chlorinated. One way or the other.  And chlorine smells as we all know. This can include what is known as chloramination which the Region switched over to perhaps 13 - 15 years ago.

My understanding is that Grand River water is chock full of bacteria including Total Coliforms and the really bad ones E. Coli (from septic systems or possibly even Sewage Treatment Plants).  Excess chlorine needed to kill all the nasty bacteria can lead to toxic by-products of disinfection known as Trihalomethanes (THMs).  Hence the switch to chloramines likely mostly for Grand River water. Chloraminated water by the way is lethal to aquarium fish but generally is seen as less harmful to human beings even though it can also produce HaloAcetic Acids (HAA). Middleton St. well treatment with its AOP system likely uses chlorine only.

So is the truth that mixing chlorine treated water with chloraminated water causes odours or are the odours likely regardless? Or is the truth that water treatment on its' own has to be carefully regulated in order to avoid producing excessive by-products of disinfection such as THMs and HAAs? Also perhaps the truth is that the toxicity of THMs and HAAs is magnified when they are both together in the drinking water.  The Region, and by the Region I mean regional councillors not staff, have in my opinion never been honest with the public.  This makes sorting out the wheat (truth) from the chaff (bull) very difficult.      

K-W RECORD CONTINUE TO ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS

 

Well done Luisa D'Amato, yet again. I have recently taken some shots at the Record for failing to honestly and properly address  serious complaints about their inaccuracies in their Nov. 15/25 article about Uniroyal/Lanxess and the Elmira Water Crisis. Since that time the reporter involved, Terry Pender, as well as others have really been writing some strong, environmental articles . These have included stories on the Northstar Aerospace pollution in Preston (Bishop St. community) as well as several on the recent shocking Water Quantity crisis in Waterloo Region. Of course we must not forget the 700 acre land assembly in Wilmot Township and how well the Record have been covering that. Perhaps (??) that gross lack of transparency including NDAs (Non Disclosure Agreements) has just received a mortal wound if we are out of water.

Back to today's Opinion article by Luisa D'Amato titled "We need a full, honest conversation about water shortage. Where is it?" First of all she hit the nail on the head when she bluntly stepped up in her article and told local developers to butt out (my words).  In her words she stated "But it's not the developers' job to be the stewards of our precious public resource - it's the job of the government."  Very well said! Unbridled, unchecked and unappreciated growth does wonders for developers and builders bank accounts but at an enormous cost for the rest of us. That cost includes unfortunate lashing out at our newer citizens.

Woolwich mayor Sandy Shantz  added to the discussion with her comment "If there's an emergency, we could be in really big trouble."  Hmm what an opening for other greener regional councillors to tell her that if she had been more aggressive and insistent on cleanup results here in Elmira, perhaps we could have been supplying Kitchener-Waterloo with our water instead of taking theirs from the Waterloo to Elmira pipeline.  I expect that pipeline can flow in both directions. Fortunately for Sandy there are too few "greener" councillors. 

Ms. D'Amato also points out that the Wilmot land grab (700 acres) is supposed to provide jobs for the Region's one million people by 2051.  Maybe, just maybe that one million residents figure needs to be revisited and lowered substantially with the latest news. Luisa also advises that Premier Doug Ford is just looking for a good crisis to exploit. The irony is delicious again for mayor Shantz. Hopefully her income plummets if she is no longer a regional councillor  (as well as mayor) if Doug Ford pulls the plug on regional government. Mayor Shantz partially initiated and then exploited a CPAC undeclared boycott by Chemtura and the Min. of Environment in order to disband the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee and give the polluter and his fellow travellors (M.O.E.) the soft, deferential citizen committee they wanted.

This is why despite disappointments and setbacks I am still a daily newspaper reader.

 

SO GUESS WHO'S REALLY IN CHARGE & WAGGING THE DOG'S (i.e. REGION'S) TAIL?

 

Two guesses and no it's neither you nor me! Developers and Builders have been lobbying and donating for decades to our provincial governments to exert pressure on municipal councillors and planning staff to grow, grow and GROW !  This growth is economic growth combined with population growth. Just look at how much worse our water supply is today versus thirty years ago. We used to be able to water our lawns with zero restrictions. Look at our hospital emergency departments. O.K. maybe they were never "good" but eight to ten hour ER waits. Never! Look at our highways plus even city congestion on the roads. I remember when driving a car was actually pleasurable. Sewage treatment getting better? Hardly. Look forward to the slow death of all our rivers as they are overwhelmed with partially treated human sewage. How about water quality? The Region of Waterloo have never demanded full cleanups at any contaminated sites much less full disclosure including criminal charges when citizens have died from pollution negligence including the Elmira Water Crisis and the Bishop St. TCE contamination by Northstar and Borg Warner (indirectly).    

There are legitimate reasons for growth including humanitarianism. The reasons also include accepting the best and brightest when they want to live here versus overcrowded, economically undeveloped, third world countries .  Even low birth rates in a country may very well be a good reason for SOME immigration. What is not a good reason however is what I believe is the predominant reason that industry, developers and government want high immigration and that is plain, simple greed.  More population equals a bigger market to sell everything to. It means a much larger supply of labour, hopefully deferential and modest labour satisfied with low wages and zero union protection.  When our major employers realized that they had to share the pie more fairly with employees actually doing the hard work and dirty jobs; they got testy.  All they wanted were desperate but hard working people who would take almost any job, work hard and show up day after day without expecting annual cost of living raises, benefits or any kind of democracy in the work place. Putting it bluntly if it was legally allowed they wanted wage slaves. 

Look at today's K-W Record . Two separate articles about developers and their demands are on the front page.  Both articles continue on pages A2 and A3 plus a third article is also on page A3. Long time Record reporters and employees Luisa D'Amato, Bill Jackson and Jeff Outhit have written these articles and done a solid job. There is lots of appropriate criticism of our local municipal and regional politicians. They were told by water experts decades ago as to what they had to do including putting all water related items from sourcing, maintenance, water treatment, sewage, distribution etc, in one governance basket. Instead it appears as if regional councillors in particular pretended to do that and talked about it but simply were satisfied that saying things like we have an INTEGRATED URBAN SYSTEM  (IUS) somehow made it so. Now they are telling us well it really isn't so. The province of Ontario also gets a failing mark as they actually have the authority to force this kind of governance upon the other bodies. 

I am also after 36 years beginning to understand how inept and incompetent both our local and provincial governments have been and why all three (municipal, regional, provincial) have so grossly failed here in Elmira to clean up health threatening and life shortening industrial pollution. Kudos to the K-W Record for these articles.   

THE BLOOM IS OFF THE REGION OF WATERLOO ROSE - NITRATES WORSE THAN SALT IN OUR GROUNDWATER

 

As per a couple of days ago I wrote here that the Region of Waterloo's green facade was slipping badly. I mentioned issues such as the recent announcement of region wide water shortages along with items such as the non transparency over the 700 acre land acquisition in Wilmot Township combined with the communications failure between the Region and the City of Cambridge over Amazon development fees, costing the Region one to three million dollars. 

For years I have been wondering about salt mostly and Nitrates secondly. Well the salt has to do with winter safety on both roads and sidewalks and it is now throughout our groundwater at sometimes bizarre levels including 200 parts per million (mg/l). What is bizarre is the Regional annual Water Reports suggest that these high concentrations are not in contravention of Ontario Drinking Water Standards (ODWS)  albeit they must be reported to the Public Health Department and the Min. of Environment every five years if they exceed 20  MG/L. They are WAY OVER that concentration.  

Nitrates have just taken a much bigger significance for me after watching a video (You Tube) by retired hydrogeologist Dr. John Cherry titled "Groundwater is the Key to a Sustainable Earth". In his retirement I'm wondering if Mr. Cherry is feeling freer to attack what he views as "public policy" failures. The only other individual I've ever publicly heard use that term was Dr. Richard Jackson when he was the Chair of TAG (2015-2016).  Dr. Jackson was referring to the cleanup errors and failures of Conestoga Rovers, the M.O.E. and Chemtura Canada here in Elmira, Ontario.

Dr. Cherry bluntly states that the ODWS  criteria for Nitrates of 10 mg/litre is far too high. He believes that a drinking water standard closer to 1 mg/l (i.e. 1 part per million) is far safer and healthier but that the province has not enacted it as such because so much of Ontario groundwater now exceeds that concentration which would result in water systems being shut down.  I have just taken a quick review of Cambridge and some of Kitchener water concentration levels and I can advise you that 1  mg/l concentrations of nitrates are routine whereas there are concentrations in some wells at 1, 2, 3, 4,  and 5 parts per million (5 mg/l). Clearly Dr. Cherry knows his stuff and certainly here in Waterloo Region citizens drinking tap water who already have heart problems are exacerbating those problems drinking tap water with salt and nitrates in it.  This is no small matter. Thank you Sandy for your continued disengagement (along with your regional colleagues) on this health matter. 

Perhaps more and better lies are needed to calm any public outcry about the long term health implications of mixing trichloroethylene (TCE), chlorine, chloramines, HAA (Haloacetic Acids), THMs,(trihalomethanes),  salt and nitrates in our water supply. Or deflect the debate by building a multi billion dollar pipeline to Lake Erie which will then cost us even more to treat and clean that polluted water (PCBs, dioxins, mercury, blue-green algae and so much more).  

WE ARE TOLD THAT LOCAL DEVELOPERS ARE LOOKING FOR WATER CRISIS SOLUTIONS

 

Well I'll just bet that that is exactly what they are doing. Kudos to reporter Terry Pender however for interviewing  more than just housing developers for this story (Housing developers look for solution to Waterloo Region water crisis).  The developers (Vive Development, Thomasfield Homes) are suggesting that the problem is not an environmental one but an engineering one.  In fact Vive actually suggested a management finagle to allow development to continue now prior to solving the water supply problems. A hint to both the public and most especially to Woolwich Township and the Region of Waterloo:  developers are not obligated to the public interest, they are obligated to their shareholders making money i.e. a private interest.

Mr. Pender interviewed a gentleman from Environmental Defence. This person, a Mr. Marcolongo seems to make sense when he insists that it is an environmental issue as the water level in at least one of the aquifers involved is lower than it should be. Mr. Marcolongo is based in the Guelph area and while I don't question his credentials or integrity I will point out that Guelph is NOT part of Waterloo Region and I wonder exactly what his knowledge base is regarding specifics of Waterloo Region's water supply and treatment. For example does he know how many wells are in each city and township and where they are located much less which aquifers they are screened in? There aren't too many who do although one of them is right here in Elmira. I have read cover to cover all the Region of Waterloo Annual (drinking) Water Reports for many years which also include by the way which treatment systems are being used.

The K-W Record have burned some bridges recently by refusing to make corrections on their very extensive November 15/25 article regarding the failed cleanup of the Elmira Aquifers. I have lost significant confidence in their integrity and commitment to accurate reporting. Nevertheless I am not aware of any other single individual unencumbered by wages or salary to developers, polluters or governments who has my both specific knowledge regarding Elmira/Woolwich  ground and surface water as well as general knowledge of the water supply throughout the Region of Waterloo. Of course with local political idjits like Sandy and Nathan who put appearances first and  knowledge and willingness to assist dead last; chances of excellent local media reporting are vastly decreased. 

The Region of Waterloo have been doing exactly what the developers want for decades. They have "managed" various water crises and contaminations versus actually cleaning them up properly. They have consistently understated the enormity of groundwater pollution as well as avoided ever pointing fingers at the culprits whether large or small corporations. There has been a tremendous laissey faire attitude towards even the worst or repeat offenders. Development continued up to and past the shut down south wellfield (E7, E9) in Elmira many years ago. What a message that sent.  

Who you ask for advice can be far more important than what the advice is. Also who is paying the advice giver is a huge matter despite self-serving and biased politicians who deny that. "Client driven" consultants do not wear hats telling us this.

THE ONE GOOD THING ABOUT DONALD TRUMP

 

Or several good things? It reinforces the old adage that citizens get the government they deserve. Sure all (96-99%) politicians lie to voters but there was absolutely no excuse for the non brain dead citizens to vote for Donald Trump the second time. They knew what a whining, lying crybaby he was after he lost the election to Joe Biden.  Keep in mind it's not just American citizens. Here in Canada we elect twits and idiots left and right. Look at the third Mike Harris to come down the line after the first one (Premier of Ontario). They had to parachute # 3 into K-W to take advantage of the fact that Mike Harris # 2 was a sitting politician here. The Conservative Party removed the incumbent # 2 to open the door for the idjit # 3 . Perhaps his best qualification is at making babies??? I suspect his father (# 1) saw the opportunity and got him into politics otherwise he (# 3) and his family would be on the breadline.

Next is the fact that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, a womanizer (not necessarily with their consent), a repeated bankrupt, a repeated thief of wages and unpaid for items and has been sued apparently hundreds of times in civil court. Oh and he's also a serial liar, a narcissist and a cheat at golf. In other words he has proven that any piece of shit is qualified to be the President of the United States.  He also has very bad taste in friends. 

Thirdly he has corrupted all those around him willing to do or say anything to keep themselves in power. He and his fellow travellors will even call the murder of an unarmed, fleeing woman and mother an act of self-defence by an armed, trained ICE officer simply to protect their initial ideological and idiotic decision to send thousands of armed officers into cities around the country who neither want nor need those officers disrupting the peace. Further Mr. Trump has threatened or invaded or bombed Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Greenland, Columbia, Cuba and Canada.  And his minions and toadies are right there defending his behaviour and actions.

Fourthly he has lifted the veil behind which so many of our authorities like to hide. They were democratically elected hence they must have some inherently good qualities. No they have money, power and influence. Millions of stupid people support their bullsh*t.  In America just like most countries you get born into politics. Look at the first paragraph and Mike Harris # 2. Look at Justin Trudeau in Canada. He has Pierre Elliot Trudeau's last name and better looks. That's good enough for the idiot voters obviously. Look at Donald Trump and his petty, vindicative treatment of those Republicans who are not enamoured with corrupt as*holes. Trump's father left him millions of dollars. Look at the Kennedy lineage in the U.S. although history may suggest that being a national politician in the U.S. can shorten one's lifespan. 

Reason number 4 above is the big one. Being elected to office is a popularity contest. Don't you remember those from high school? Good looking kids preferably with money, friends and influence based on no more than their looks,  their clothes, their friendly personalities etc. That's who end up in positions of power and authority and it's only luck if they are intelligent, compassionate and honest human beings.  We other idiots will vote for them with no research, no reading and no discussion of their real character or lack thereof.  Ain't democracy grand?

THE REGION OF WATERLOO ARE TOTALLY SHAMELESS - MAYBE STUPID AS WELL

 

So within a week  or so of announcing a freeze on Regional development approvals our local Waterloo Region Record are shouting "water crisis". No; Russian bombs or Ukrainian drones didn't lose their sense of direction nor did Israeli bombs for Gaza, nor American bombs meant for Venezuela end up here hitting Waterloo Region wellfields. Duh! According to Terry Pender of the K-W Record  it was a simple mathematical mistake in calculating the demand for water. The Region even admit that they mistakenly forgot to include infill developments within our towns and cities versus new suburbs on the outskirts as part of increasing water demand. Really? It's true that most politicians really aren't fit for much else. We must never forget the entire Waterloo Council and staff who couldn't count past one million and got scammed by MFP Financial over the RIM Park affair a couple of decades ago. Recently Cambridge staff and regional staff miscalculated a couple of million dollars in development fees from the huge Amazon warehouse in Blair (Cambridge). Finally it appears that neither our provincial or federal leaders figured out that 20,000 or 30,000 or 40,000 students coming in from India to Conestoga College would require housing, part time jobs, health care and three meals a day. 

Record reporter Terry Pender suggests that the Region's two water systems use two different types of chlorine to disinfect the water supply and if the water is mixed it will smell bad. News flash folks it's not the chlorine versus chloramine that smells bad. It's the bullsh*t that smells so bad! Literally for decades the Region of Waterloo have bragged about their world class, perfectly wonderful water system. They called it the IUS for Integrated Urban System. We were advised that water from wells in Cambridge could flow west and north (Kitchener-Waterloo) if needed and that water from Waterloo wells could flow south and east to Cambridge if needed. Hence the term INTEGRATED. So Region of Waterloo were you lying then or are you lying now or both?

P.S. Allegedly (hey how can you rely on liars & bullsh*t artists ?)  Cambridge are primarily on the Middleton Wellfield System. Really again? There are lots of Bedrock wells that have supplied water to Cambridge and supposedly the Region for many decades. These multiple wellfields are listed each year in the Region's Annual (drinking) Water Report. Yes just like Kitchener and Waterloo wells they have suffered from industrial contamination rarely remediated properly if at all.  However the Middleton Wellfield is the worst of all when you look at the chlorinated solvents (TCE) still in the Bedrock that requires the most expensive treatment of all the Region's water sources with the likely exception of the Grand River itself

Meanwhile are the Record simply shilling for the Region (RMOW) by starting the propaganda for a Pipeline to Lake Erie? I think that that is what smells the worst.

OMG IS IT DANGEROUS FOR ME TO SELF-ANALYSE? YES MY SENSE OF HUMOUR MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN YOURS

 

Merely for personal enjoyment I am going to rewrite yesterday's  response (harsh, rude ?) that I sent to Nathan Cadeau. I will remove all critical editorial comments that could be viewed as insulting. Here goes:

Folks: So as I read Nathan's comments I understand that "TRAC does not exclude substantive concerns because they are uncomfortable or inconvenient." TRAC however obviously does exclude my concerns and others for their own, unilateral reasons. Allegedly they are because those concerns "...cross established standards of conduct...". Well first my alleged conduct is none of his business. What is his business is remediating Elmira's groundwater and he has been unsuccessful at doing that. With his intense five minutes of experience on the issue clearly our mayor made a mistake in giving him a job that he is unqualified for .Secondly he and the Township are taking advice from Lanxess, GHD and the Ontario MECP.  Woolwich Township apparently don't believe that there is a conflict of interest which there certainly is. Nathan believes that vulgarity or personal attack are not necessary. I agree it isn't but so what? Just because I might insult the Township does not absolve them of either their moral or legal responsibility to work on behalf of the citizens of Woolwich Township. Maybe Nathan down the road you might want to fly your reasons for ignoring good advice in the public interest to someone who cares about your feelings.  Perhaps on a good day I do, just a tiny bit. The Township, GHD, MECP, Uniroyal and corporate successors have spent the last 36 years gilding the lily about the Elmira Water Crisis to me and the public. I do not reward lily gilders with my respect. 

Nathan your job is not to criticize citizens or volunteers. I believe that Woolwich Township irrevocably ruptured the relationship with long term informed citizen volunteers when they dissembled and blamed CPAC for Chemtura and the Ontario M.O.E. informally abandoning public CPAC meetings. 

Nathan stick to your job as a councillor and focus on that.

Alan Marshall

O.K. I did it and while it wasn't impossible nevertheless it may lack some zest. Or not. Nathan as is usual pissed me off a couple of days back with his attitude hence my upset response. If I'd taken more time I would have added that I agree that "vulgarity or personal attack is not necessary to ensure that critical information is heard or acted upon.". Then I would have added that yes it is critical information I have been presenting by e-mail that was also heard decades ago in open, public meetings but was not acted upon then or since. Courtesy of Mayor Shantz we no longer have open, two way discussion at meetings (eg. TAG & TRAC) in which citizens can express their opinions publicly. That is the problem not my alleged conduct albeit it appears that Nathan and his ilk believe that polite, courteous lying and bulls*t peddled to the public are perfectly O.K. but  rude responses by citizens to those lies are not. 

Woolwich, Lanxess , GHD and the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation & Parks (MECP) currently are in full pass the buck mode. They and they alone (eh go ahead and add the Region (RMOW)) are responsible for ignoring good advice from CPAC between late 2010 and September 2015 and occasional good advice from earlier CPACs and UPAC decades earlier. The 2028 groundwater cleanup failure is theirs and they don't want to wear it. Watch the buggars run for cover possibly as early as this next municipal election.

WOOLWICH COUNCILLOR & TRAC CHAIR IN WRITING STATES THAT SUBSTANTIVE REMEDIATION CONCERNS WILL NOT BE HEARD UNLESS THEY PASS HIS/COUNCIL'S CONDUCT STANDARDS

 

Following below is Woolwich councillor Nathan Cadeau's e-mail sent to seven persons including myself:

"Happy New Year!

Thank you for sharing the article and for taking the time to set out your broader concerns. Questions about environmental risk, regulatory independence, and how information moves from citizens to decision makers are very much within TRAC's mandate, and they are taken seriously.

From a process perspective, TRAC does not exclude substantive concerns because they are uncomfortable or inconvenient. When submissions cross established standards of conduct, individuals are given the opportunity to revise and resubmit so that the substance can still be considered. That option is always available. I don't believe vulgarity or personal attack is necessary to ensure that critical information is heard or acted upon. In governance and regulatory contexts, clarity, evidence, and persistence tend to be more effective and durable. If someone chooses not to revise a submission when given that opportunity, that is a decision they own. Again thanks for taking the time to write.

Take care and talk soon,

Nathan" 

Following is my response telling him that he, Woolwich Council or TRAC have no right to censor substantive Elmira remediation facts and advice because they don't like my choice of words or alleged expletives. They have both a moral and a legal duty to seriously consider researched advice that is in the public interest i.e. restoring Elmira's drinking water aquifers. Anything else is a dereliction of  their duty to citizens and residents and a betrayal of their oath of office.

"Folks: So as I read Nathan's hot air I understand that "TRAC does not exclude substantive concerns because they are uncomfortable or inconvenient." TRAC however obviously does exclude my concerns and others for their own, unilateral reasons. Allegedly they are because those concerns "...cross established standards of conduct..." Well firstly my alleged conduct is none of his f...ing business. What is his f...ing business is remediating Elmira's groundwater and he stinks at doing that. With his intense five minutes of experience on the issue that is hardly surprising. Secondly he and the Township in their infinite stupidity are taking advice from Lanxess, GHD and the Ontario MECP. Woolwich Township apparently don't believe that there is a conflict of interest  which there certainly is. Nathan believes that vulgarity or personal attack are not necessary. I agree it isn't but so what? Just because I referred to the Township as stupid does not absolve them of either their moral or legal responsibility to work on behalf of the citizens of Woolwich Township. Maybe Nathan down the road you might want to fly your bullsh*t reasons for ignoring good advice in the public interest to someone who gives a crap about your feelings. I certainly do not. The Township, GHD, MECP and corporate successors have spent the last 36 years lying about the Elmira Water Crisis to me and the public. I do not reward liars with my respect.

Nathan do your f...ing job

Alan Marshall 

DO ALL THE ELMIRA GUILTY PARTIES REALLY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO AVOID PUBLIC CONDEMNATION & EVENTUAL FORMAL CONDEMNATION FOR THEIR CLEANUP FAILURES & COVERUPS ?

 

Indeed politics makes strange bedfellows. Just look at how Pat McLean treated new councillor Sandy Shantz way back in 2006 after Sandy beat out Pat McLean for a Council seat. Pat was kept on as CPAC Chair by her buddy Mayor Bill Strauss. She then treated Sandy poorly at CPAC meetings by failing to share dates and event times with her. Typical Pat behaviour as I found out later. I also have to wonder if Susan Bryant will eventually be outed/scapegoated/blamed for DNAPLS being dropped like a hot potatoe at UPAC. These "friends" of hers have no honour and no ethics so especially after she passes on and is more susceptible to desperate mud flinging by local politicians and polluters, it likely will occur.  Think about it for a minute. If you are the current, ongoing owner for eleven years prior to the 2028 cleanup deadline failure, who are you going to blame? Local politicians will likely be long gone trying to avoid blame. Your consultants (CRA/GHD) are exactly that "yours". You kept them on when you bought Uniroyal/Chemtura in 2017. You kept on paying them for over a decade. 

Local "activists" are the best target as they've always been. Oddly of course except for Susan Bryant. How strange is that? She received a life time invitation to attend and participate in all public meetings.  Myself I've been on the "outs" since at least 2015 courtesy of mayor Shantz and former councillor Mark Bauman.(Mr. Flip Flop). I, like the rest of the unwashed masses in Elmira, haven't even been permitted to speak at public TAG or TRAC meetings. The filth have even refused my written Delegations to TRAC hence I simply send them directly by e-mail to TRAC members who however never seem interested in either responding or commenting on them. That reflects on them not me.

There are written records of what has been done for cleanup as well as what has not been done and should have been. An honest focus on DNAPL should have occurred immediately in late 1989. The same thing with Dioxins and DDT. Did not happen. All Uniroyal and successor companies did was claim that DDT and Dioxins are hydrophobic i.e. afraid of water hence they preferentially bind with soil particles, fine sediments etc. Those in charge did not even want to discuss how all the discharged solvents at Uniroyal Chemical increased the mobility of DDT and Dioxins. They certainly did not want to discuss how free phase DNAPL both on and off the Uniroyal site also vastly increased the mobility of so many contaminants including DDT and Dioxins. 

Their own DNAPL silence and disgusting public consultation being limited to only vetted citizens approved by the polluter and his fellow travellors (mayor etc.) has condemned them. TRAC just like TAG are and were a bunch of deferential individuals lacking the confidence to dig in their heels and demand timely and honest answers from the company and their consultants. A current TAG and TRAC member has actually admitted this in writing and submitted it to them. 

    

ELMIRA = DOGPATCH = ASTOUNDING MENTAL GYMNASTICS TO DENY & DEFLECT DNAPL CONTAMINATION OF OUR DRINKING AQUIFERS

 

My renewed DNAPL education continues.  As mentioned yesterday I am somewhat surprised by the large number of factors determining how much free phase DNAPL ends up somewhat captured by filling pore spaces as Residual DNAPL , which can still slowly dissolve into the groundwater, as well as  then how much free phase DNAPL can continue migrating via gravity either vertically downwards or laterally (horizontally). Again this horizontal DNAPL flow depends upon many factors including the slope of the somewhat horizontal surface, the hydraulic head (i.e. ongoing pressure from the source area as DNAPL is continually refreshed from dumping chemical liquid wastes), the size of the pores between clay, silt and sand lenses and so many more.

I have written previously that both DDT and Dioxins and so much more can be mobilized by DNAPL. This is not an opinion but fact determined by geoscientists and other unbiased experts in the field. Furthermore with multiple sites on the Uniroyal property with proven DNAPL presence (M2 at OW88, RPE-3, TPW-2, RPW-5 ) including small quantities of DNAPL having been removed, there simply is no wiggle room left for the guilty parties. 

Eventually over time groundwater will very slowly dissolve dioxins, DDT and other nasties which will end up in detectable concentrations in our groundwater. Despite the low solubility of these compounds nevertheless Dioxins for example have a Solubility concentration in the low parts per trillion (eg. 15-20 parts per trillion  i.e. 15-20 ng/litre). Unfortunately the Ontario Drinking Water Standard for 2,3,7,8 - TCDD  (Dioxin) is only 15 parts per quadrillion  i.e. 15 ppq) .  Parts per quadrillion are a thousand times smaller than a part per thousand which is very close to the solubility concentration of Dioxins in groundwater.

Continued reliance on GHD, the Ontario MECP and Lanxess Canada may be ideal if permanent contamination of our Creek (the "Gig") and our drinking water aquifers is acceptable. If local politicians are willing to stand up and publicly declare that is what they have decided then so be it. But continued lying is no longer a viable option and such an option will continue to deteriorate as we get to the 2028 deadline.   

    

MAJOR DNAPL TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN AVAILABLE SINCE 1990 & RESEARCH STILL CONTINUES TODAY

 

I am amazed with recent reading I've been doing as to all the factors pertaining to DNAPL migration in the sub-surface. 95% of those factors have never been discussed at public UPAC or CPAC, TAG or TRAC meetings. This is not by accident. Most of these factors including density, viscosity, wettability, stratigraphic slopes, pore sizes, solubility, volatility, groundwater velocity etc. have been known for decades . More recently I have seen technical reports advising that potential and probable lateral (horizontal) migration of free phase DNAPL has been seriously underestimated for decades. Again the factors affecting horizontal migration are many and include of course the volume of DNAPL released at the surface or from shallow lagoons (such as Uniroyal Chemical).  Another obvious factor is how much of this DNAPL is able to penetrate through aquifers and or aquitards vertically. Clearly if the aquitards (clay/silt) are discontinuous or have cracks and "windows" in them then the vertical penetration increases.

A couple of recent reports state that horizontal migration of DNAPL has been found at both 650 metres in one site from the source area and 750 metres at another site. Now two things seem obvious to me and that is the overall ongoing slope of the stratigraphic unit that the DNAPL is moving on as well as the large amount of free phase DNAPL released to the subsurface in order to "push" the DNAPL that far from its' source. I certainly can understand the unlikelihood of these distances from source being anywhere near the norm.

The other interesting tidbit I've begun to understand is how often for example chlorinated solvent sites with groundwater concentrations exceeding 1% still remain without the subsurface DNAPL  being clearly delineated. Here in Elmira subsurface free phase DNAPL has been found both on the Uniroyal site (OW88 near PW4) as well as off-site by the Howard St. Water Tower (OW57-32 (R). This data should have more than rung the alarm bells thirty-six years ago and precipitated appropriate DNAPL action. Instead it was all Uniroyal hands, friends and fellow travellors (including the M.O.E.) on deck to deny, deflect, delay and manage the situation and crisis. By manage I don't mean investigate proper cleanup as much as investigate improper coverup.

INCOMPETENCE & NEGLIGENCE TO THE POINT OF CORRUPTION AND BEYOND - IGNORING & AVOIDING DNAPL PRESENCE & SIGNIFICANCE

 

WORLD CLASS EXPERTS AVAILABLE AT U. OF WATERLOO - JUST DOWN THE ROAD

By 1991 and earlier the Waterloo Centre for Groundwater Research was world renowned.  Despite that none of the so called "experts", consultants or other "suits" ever mentioned that incredible source of knowledge to Woolwich/Elmira citizens attending public UPAC meetings. Our esteemed and long compromised Ontario Ministry of Environment never mentioned or suggested the tremendous value in asking neutral and unbiased in house groundwater experts for information or advice. Instead all our authorities pretended that bought and paid for client driven consultants (Dames & Moore, CRA) were somehow obligated by engineering or public interest principles to speak truth to those paying their invoices. As Steve Quigley of CRA once stated " We are obligated only to the best interests of our clients.".  

I have been reviewing technical DNAPL reports likely for the fiftieth time over the last 36 years. I was introduced to Drs. J. Cherry and B. Parker at the University of Waterloo in January 2007 as CPAC's "DNAPL expert", probably by Susan Bryant. I quickly clarified to the two real experts (Cherry & Parker)  that I was CPAC's amateur DNAPL expert only. Various further DNAPL literature written by these two doctors was distributed to the four of us attending (McLean, Bryant, Ruland & myself) and it was all barely glanced at and handed to me. I offered to read it quickly over the next few days and pass it along to the other three. That offer was never requested or acted upon by any of them to my surprise. 

This meeting and the strong and very clear advice from Doctors Cherry and Parker was never taken to CPAC or discussed at any public meeting. If it was done privately I was not so advised. This was the beginning of the end for me as far as Bryant, McLean and Ruland were concerned. Nevertheless I was still trusting enough to go to Susan and Wilf with my findings later in 2007 on the inappropriate off-site well that Conestoga Rovers (CRA) wanted to use as one half of a monitoring pair of wells (1 on-site and 1 off-site) in order to ensure that shutting down pumping wells on-site for the later ATS (Ammonia Treatment System) would not cause a loss of hydraulic containment (It did.).

Do current Woolwich councillors truly believe that  the methods and procedures to clean up the Elmira Aquifers will not be exposed particularly after 2028 as second rate if not downright incompetent? Do you believe that the knowingly "cheapest and least effective method" of hydraulic containment, despite constant endorsement by almost all past councils, will not be publicly and savagely excoriated? If indeed, as has been arbitrarily removed from public discussion, it turns out that DDT and Dioxins  have migrated off the Uniroyal site westwards as well as downstream (eastwards) via the Canagagigue Creek that there won't be a scandal resulting in a public inquiry of some sort?  The westward migration may very well have been via the DNAPL mobilizing DDT and Dioxins and carrying them along to the Nutrite property as well as by the Howard St. Water Tower (OW57-32 (R). 

DNAPL DENIERS may have saved the responsible polluting companies and the Ontario M.O.E. hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup costs but what about the health costs past, present and future? Do you want to drink Elmira water again not knowing the truth about what is still in it?