[All] Fw: Better than a pipeline: A real solution

Sun Nov 15 10:09:46 EST 2009

Hi folks

Can't put this on the website but this was shared with Woolwich Council, City of Waterloo and Kitchener as well as Gord Miller and Senior Water Policy Advisor, Sharon Bailey.

I think it may help us all to keep this sort of logic flowing.

Lulu 

--- On Sun, 11/15/09, Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com> wrote:

From: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
Subject: Better than a pipeline: A real solution
To: "Gord Miller" <commissioner at eco.on.ca>, "Sharon (ENE)Bailey" <Sharon.Bailey at ontario.ca>
Cc: mcolleen at region.waterloo.on.ca, bmetzger at woolwich.ca, john.smola at kitchener.ca, berry.vrbanovic at kitchener.ca, john.gazzola at kitchener.ca, kelly.galloway at kitchener.ca, geoff.lorentz at kitchener.ca, christina.weylie at kitchener.ca, "Jan d'Ailly" <jdailly at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Diane Freeman" <dfreeman at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Brenda Halloran" <bhalloran at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Ian McLean" <imclean at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Karen Scian" <kscian at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Angela Vieth" <avieth at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Mark Whaley" <mwhaley at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Scott Witmer" <switmer at city.waterloo.on.ca>
Date: Sunday, November 15, 2009, 10:06 AM

Hello everyone

Just scoping reports at my end when I came upon this jewel. I have a copy of a report by the Canadian Geological Survey of Canada that I secured when I toured the Galt Paris Moraine with them earlier this year.

The report is titled, "Sedimentology of the Paris and Galt Moraines and Hydrogeological Implications."

In the report Summery it stated the following:

"Baseflow studies of the Grand River and other sub-watersheds suggest that the moraine plays a significant role in the Grand River watershed hydrogeology. The Hummocky terrain and numerous closed depressions provide an opportunity for increased recharge."

All this time we're looking at costly man made solutions from a far away pipeline without figuring that our engineering could actually be used to simply enhance the already existing natural systems. That's if we look at it from a "Water Supply" issue. This sort of logic would be very valuable to consider in areas like Aberfoyle where bottled water companies have turned off an artesian aquifer system from overwithdrawl. Residents have been fighting Nestle all the way without actually considering the fact that science of sediment studies may actually allow municipalities to simply increase capacity of the recharge in the vicinity of these sorts of operations. For the company, as long as they get water, they are happy.

If we had data related to such studies, it could certainly go a long way to reducing the adversarial processes we face today while providing for the growing need of water in the world. 

Research in sediment infiltration may give us a way to better balance water supply and aggregate needs as well. Aggregate washes consume vast amounts of water. Has the volumes of water for aggregate use been factored into our Regional long term water budget strategy? Is this volume even being monitored? Can we mandate water reuse or reclamation for the aggregate industry? These are key questions to investigate.

I'm wondering if we were to enhance recharge capacity around contamination sites, would that help to dilute issues? We could increase infiltration in chemical free green areas outside the contaminate zone via geological augmentations which would introduce water into the problem area in a manner where it would not reverse flow outwards.

>From the contamination area we pull out the water/contaminate mix with a basic wind powered well system that would feed into a man made wetland, designed specifically to address contaminates and prevent associated flooding.   From there the water can be further treated or released in a controlled manner to blend in with natural flow and flow rates and to regulate water temperature as runoff enters back into natural systems. Seeing that we already regulate much of the Grand's flow from the dams it should not be hard to facilitate such an option in partnership with the GRCA. Such systems are currently used to treat lechate from multiple landfills with wonderful results. http://eponline.com/articles/2008/06/26/the-wetlandlandfill-connection.aspx

If we simply restore or create natural wetland systems, particularly in areas such as St. Agatha, phosphate and nitrate issues would decrease 80-90% naturally.  We need to craft the arguement that there is economic benefits to working WITH natural systems and that these options are far cheaper than investing in a pipeline solution.

Hydrology firms are like mechanics. Some are good but some are out to cheat you. A lot of them take pride in their work ethic, but let's not be naive. Arm yourself with some knowledge to guard against those who are out to rip you off. A little homework and street smarts will go a long way toward saving our municipal pocketbook from unsavory service practices. Seriously scrutinize reports and make sure your not investing in costly well remediation down the road. The more complex the solutions the higher the rate of failure. If the logic of their solutions does not ring true as being simple and efficient, buyer beware  

For the West Side Lands, they want roof runoff here, SWM pond there but often times proposals lack regard to climate change variables and the design constraints of neighbouring areas. My neighbourhood, Columbia Forest, is on the recharge to the east of the West Side Lands. How will their "increased infiltration" aggrevate the already flooded basements in my neighbourhood? Meanwhile, the sewer lids pop off in Laurelwood in the spring because they're system is going beyond the design constraints due to my subdivision being built.  What will happen to Laurelwood when the West Side Lands is built? We've got to manage things on a wider scale. 

God's way aka natural systems can be enhanced and are long lasting and "dirt" cheap compaired to a pipeline option. I know for a fact that everything you need in terms of solutions can be found in the natural world and it's far cheaper to enhance and work WITH it than it is to buy into these pipedreams. With one you build it and nature takes care of the rest. With the other, you have to micromanage every little nitty gritty detail and should the system fail at any point, multiple municipalities will be at risk.

Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
Occam's Razor

Louisette Lanteigne
700 Star Flower Ave.
Waterloo Ontario
N2V 2L2
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