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<title>GREN in news on pipeline</title>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>I am very concerned about storing “treated water”
underground, possibly cross-contaminating our pristine ground water aquifers
with water treatment chemicals such as chlorine and chloramine. What
about “treated water” that is fluoridated with hydrofluorosilicic
acid containing silicofluoride and co-contaminates arsenic, lead and mercury similarly
cross-contaminating our pristine ground water aquifers? In minutes we can
contaminate water that has taken eons of time to purify by way of earth’s
natural processes. To me, this kind of gamble is unacceptable as pure
water is increasingly becoming scarcer. It is risky even if “treated
water” meant everything but the chemicals which would only be added once water
is taken back out of the ground and sent on its way to the consumer. We still
pose risk by pumping huge amounts of water into the ground; water which may contain
living micro-organisms, organics and/or other inadvertent contaminants through human
error. By all accounts, a risky business, unless we humans are infallible.
If wells pose significant risk for contaminating aquifers through mismanagement
or accident, does pumping millions of gallons in and out of underground aquifers
pose lesser or greater risk? <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>P.S. I liked your “engineer’s pipe dream”
summation, John. Direct and to the point!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Robert J. Fleming<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><a href="http://www.waterloowatch.com/">www.WaterlooWatch.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
all-bounces@gren.ca [mailto:all-bounces@gren.ca] <b><span style='font-weight:
bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>John Jackson<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> October 28, 2009 7:48 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> GREN<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [All] GREN in news on
pipeline</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:10.5pt;
font-family:Calibri'> <br>
Planned water pipeline’s cost surges past $1B <br>
<br>
By Jeff Outhit, Record staff<br>
<br>
<br>
WATERLOO REGION — A new study estimates it would cost $1.2 billion to
pipe drinking water from <st1:place w:st="on">Lake Erie</st1:place> by 2035. <br>
<br>
That figure, calculated in 2008 dollars, is much higher than a previous
estimate of $700 million, in 2007 dollars. But the pipeline is still feasible,
the study concludes. <br>
<br>
<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City>
regional government prepared the feasibility study with six municipal and First
Nations partners who might share the pipeline. <br>
<br>
The proposal is to draw water at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nanticoke</st1:place></st1:City>.
The site already has twin intake tunnels, a provincial permit to draw water,
some preliminary facilities and 40 hectares of space for other facilities.<br>
<br>
The study looked at various pipeline options. It concludes the best one is to: <br>
<br>
Build a new water treatment plant at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Nanticoke</st1:place></st1:City>.<br>
<br>
Pipe treated water north toward Six Nations, then past <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Brantford</st1:place></st1:City> and into Waterloo Region. <br>
<br>
Build storage and pumping facilities at four locations along the route.<br>
<br>
Branch off smaller pipelines to divert some water to participating
communities.<br>
<br>
Costs would be shared by partners, and paid by water rates that would rise to
cover the bill. <br>
<br>
However, the pipeline would not supply all local water demand. Some water would
still have to be provided from local sources that include groundwater and the <st1:place
w:st="on">Grand River</st1:place>.<br>
<br>
The proposal “scares” John Jackson, chair of the Grand River
Environmental Network, a coalition of local groups. <br>
<br>
“It’s completely unnecessary,” <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Jackson</st1:place></st1:City> said. “It’s an
engineer’s pipe dream. But it’s not the solution to our water
problem.” <br>
<br>
Pipeline money is better spent retrofitting buildings to conserve water, he
said. He’s also concerned about the energy needed to run huge water
pumps. <br>
<br>
Regional councillors voted Tuesday to continue studying the pipeline, planned
for 2035. This is prudent “whether we use it or not,” said Coun.
Sean Strickland of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City>.
<br>
<br>
Council’s shorter-term plan to meet water needs is to promote
conservation, store treated water underground and find new groundwater sources.
<br>
<br>
<i><span style='font-style:italic'><a href="jouthit@therecord.com">jouthit@therecord.com</a><br>
</span></i> <br>
<br>
<br>
</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2 face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Calibri'><<a
href="http://news.therecord.com/default">http://news.therecord.com/default</a>>
</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Calibri'><br>
-- <br>
John Jackson<br>
<st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">17 Major Street</st1:address></st1:Street><br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Kitchener</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Ontario</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">N2H 4R1</st1:PostalCode></st1:place><br>
519-744-7503</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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