COMMENTS ON THE REQUEST FOR…

COMMENTS ON THE REQUEST FOR A PTTW

There has been no notification to residents potentially affected. Only two or three property owners whose property abuts the pit have been notified but others living just a short distance away have not.

Threat to Water Quantity:
The source water for Black Creek, an important environmental feature of Blandford-Blenheim and protected by the Grand River Conservation Authority, is located mere metres from the pit. If this application were to be approved, the company would be able to take up to 2,725,800 litres/day for as many as 213 days each year. While the consultant claimed this amount would have little impact on local ground water, millions of litres of water will evaporate due to this extraction. In a time of climate change when our area is more prone to drought than in the past, some local wells have already gone dry during the summer. Taking this volume of water from the local aquifer would leave nearby property owners at greater risk of losing the water supply they need to water their livestock and water orchards and gardens. Some of us have installed ponds and wetlands at considerable expense to enhance biodiversity and support wildlife. Lowering the water table could have adverse effects on these conservation efforts as well.

Threat to Water Quality:
The information posted online at the Ontario Environmental Registry identifies this PTTW application as having a Category 3 qualification. Category 3 is defined as “water takings that are anticipated to have the highest potential of causing unacceptable environmental impactor interference.”

If the company is allowed to dig below the water table, many contaminants may leach into precious ground water. It is our understanding that the pit currently contains reground asphalt and concrete. There is also a risk of silicone sand going into suspension that could cause serious problems with local well pumps, irrigation systems, and toilet valves.

Concerns Local Residents Would Like Addressed:
1. We have requested a copy of the permit to allow extraction of gravel below the water table, but no one has produced it. We would like to know how deep into the water table the pit operators will be allowed to go and how large a surface area will be affected.
2. We see no comments from the GRCA. Has it been consulted?
3. The consultant’s report states that no monitoring of ground water, wells, and ponds is necessary. We would like to know on what basis this conclusion was reached.
4. There is no mention of mitigation or compensation if area wells go dry or nearby ponds/wetlands are adversely affected by water extraction in the pit. What recourse, if any, would property owners living close to the pit have in that eventuality?