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From the KW Record: Region protects crucial wells Contamination at Greenbrook prompts $400K study to safeguard Cambridge field BOB BURTT AMBRIDGE (Jul 26, 2005) Waterloo Region is spending $400,000 to prevent Cambridge's most important well field from succumbing to the same fate as Kitchener's Greenbrook wells. The Greenbrook wells were closed last August after 1,4 dioxane, an industrial solvent and degreaser, was found at elevated levels in the well water. The Middleton wells in Cambridge produce as much as 27 million litres a day -- enough to account for 45 to 50 per cent of all the water in Cambridge The Kitchener wells, which account for five per cent of the region's water, will remain closed until 2007, when new treatment facilities are expected to be in place. The region hasn't pinpointed the source of the dioxane but believes it has moved from at least one of the areas that were used as a garbage dump in the past. The closure of the Greenbrook wells partly contributed to this summer's restrictions on outdoor water use. "We don't want any surprises," said Jorge Cavalcante, acting director of water services for the region. "We are looking at a broad assessment. We don't want any surprise in the future and we are even looking at areas where there's little chance of becoming a problem." Regional officials were not prepared for the contamination that forced the closure of the Greenbrook wells. "We want to be ready for anything," Cavalcante said."Greenbrook was a surprise and we were kind of caught off guard. "Now, what we want to do is have things in place so we never have to shut the system down again. We want to know what is there, what could happen in the future and to be prepared to address whatever might happen." Cavalcante said there are no water quality problems at Middleton now, but the presence of dioxane and total coliform concern regional officials. Cavalcante said dioxane levels at Middleton are far below those that caused concern at Greenbrook. "We had levels of about 100 micrograms per litre in Greenbrook compared to two or three micrograms per litre here," he said. The Middleton wells are on Middleton Street in the Galt area of Cambridge, close to Canadian General Tower and the Grand River. In 1993, a chemical called methyl ethyl ketone was found in the groundwater near the plant but wasn't detected in drinking water. Cavalcante said studies in 2000 found the wells weren't affected by their proximity to the river. But Cavalcante said the presence of bacteria in the untreated water suggests the well water could be influenced by the river water. More tests are required to know for certain, he added. Cavalcante said levels of manganese have been detected at .03 micrograms per litre, compared with the standard of .05. High iron and manganese levels can lead to dirty water problems. The water is currently disinfected with sodium hypochloride, a form of chlorine. Currently, the only treatment provided at the Middleton Street wells is disinfection. Depending on the outcome of the study, the region may have to add ultra-violate light as an additional barrier to contamination. If manganese becomes a problem, filtration might be required. If industrial chemicals such as trichloroethylene and dioxane, prove to be troublesome, a combination of ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide may be needed to help break down the chemicals. bburtt@therecord.com
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