• Protecting Water and Farmland in Simcoe County

Purest Water Alert: Ontario government grants CRH permit to take water at Teedon Pit

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In AWARE News Network
Jan 17th, 2021
12 Comments
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Teedon Pit location

Posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario

AWARE News Network

Over 5,000 comments were received. The decision details what the government considers to be the major concerns raised by “stakeholders” and why it has decided they can be disregarded. There is a 15-day appeal period. The decision is reproduced below.

AWARE Simcoe calls on province to prevent destruction of world’s purest water

Reminders of what has been said of the aggregate extraction at the side of the world’s purest water:

Dr. WIlliam Shotyk: Why is this water so clean?

Township calls on MNRF, CRH to hit pause (and asks for no further licenses to be issued until the Cherry groundwater study has been completed)

Consultant Wilf Ruland’s report

Here’s the decision posted January 15 2021:
We issued Permit to Take Water No. 6258-BRDJ2M to CRH Canada Group Inc. on January 14, 2021. The Permit is a renewal of CRH Canada’s previous Permit, and will expire on January 13, 2031. This Permit allows water taking from one pond and one well for aggregate washing purposes at Teedon Pit, at rates similar to previous Permits.

Details are as follows:

Permit Type – renewal – Category 3

Sources of water for aggregate washing:

Well PW1-09

maximum rate per minute (Litres): 950
maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
maximum volume per day (Litres): 1,368,000
maximum number of days of taking per year: 210
Wash Pond

maximum rate per minute (Litres): 7,274
maximum number of hours of taking per day: 12
maximum volume per day (Litres): 5,237,280
maximum number of days of taking per year: 210

At the Teedon Pit, water from the on-site pond (referred to as a Wash Pond) is used for washing the aggregate, and separating silt and sand from coarser material. The water that is used is sent to two settling ponds where the silt and sand settle to the bottom. Water from the settling ponds is directed back to the Wash Pond for reuse. The water level within the Wash Pond is topped up as needed from the on-site Production Well (Well PW 1-09).

Surface water bodies in the area include Hogg Creek, Wye River, the Tiny Marsh (a Provincially Significant Wetland) and the Tiny Bog Wetland Complex (a regionally and locally significant wetland). These water bodies are located at significant distances from Teedon Pit. Therefore, they will not be affected by the water taking from the Wash Pond or from Well PW1-09.

An unnamed stream connected to a small pond, which only flows during snow melt in the spring or periods of extremely heavy rain, is located on the northern property boundary. Water taking/usage at the Teedon Pit is unlikely to adversely impact this unnamed stream.

Water taking at the Teedon Pit is located far from any municipal water supply well. It will not have any impact on any municipal water supply well. Municipal wells in the area are:

Elmvale (Wells 1 & 2),
Perkinsfield (Wells 26-4 & 26-5), and
Wyevale (Well 29-1 & 29-2).
The closest municipal well to the Teedon Pit is Wyevale, which is approximately 5 km to the northwest of the site. The Teedon Pit is also outside the Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPAs) associated with these wells.

The ministry is satisfied that the water taking at Teedon Pit does not interfere with private water supply wells located in the area. This conclusion is based on the review of monitoring data provided in support of the renewal application, and records of investigations of past well interference complaints by well-owners in the area. Past investigations identified that the interference complaints were not related to operations at Teedon Pit. To ensure water supply wells are protected, the renewal Permit has been issued with conditions requiring continued monitoring of water levels at several monitoring locations.

Email enviropermissions@ontario.ca to request a copy of the permit

133 submissions were received on-line and an additional 5,113 comments by e-mail (of which 5,092 were identical).

Comments relevant to the water taking proposal were considered as part of the review of the application. The main concerns raised were regarding the following:

-There were comments that the volume of water proposed to be taken from the groundwater system is unsustainable and could result in sinkholes. The ministry’s review has determined that the taking is sustainable and will not result in sinkholes.

-A concern was expressed on the impact of the washing operations on the aquifer and the introduction of dirty water into the aquifer. Teedon Pit will only use water with no additives in their washing process. The silt and sand contained in the used wash water settles to the bottom of the settling ponds. Any water that infiltrates into the ground at the bottom of the ponds is filtered, much like rain water. Therefore, the ministry is satisfied that the operation is unlikely to adversely impact the groundwater quality.

-Stakeholders are concerned about the impact of the water taking and aggregate washing on the local aquifers and the Alliston Aquifer. The ministry’s review has determined that monitoring undertaken by past and current permit holders demonstrates that that there is no long-term impact on groundwater levels in the production well, the monitoring wells, or the monitored domestic wells. The amount of water used in aggregate washing has no visible impact on groundwater levels.

-A concern was expressed regarding the impact of the operations on local wells. As explained above, the ministry’s review has concluded that the water taking does not have adverse impact on local wells.

-Stakeholders have requested a cumulative impact study be completed to determine the short and long term impacts of the overall pit operations. Based on the ministry’s review of the data acquired to date and the analysis completed during the review of this application, the water taking at Teedon Pit is unlikely to have any measurable impact on the aquifer outside of the 350 m radius around the Production Well.

(Go to the government website for full details)

 

12 Responses to “Purest Water Alert: Ontario government grants CRH permit to take water at Teedon Pit”

  1. Donna Deneault says:

    We will definitely be writing to enviropermissions@ontario.ca. Before we do, I would like to state here some points of which I’m planning to make. May we see the points others will make, so as to leave no stone unturned (Please and thanks in advance.)

    1) if the water from the settling ponds goes back into the wash pond, why do they need permission for a million litres per day?
    2) why don’t they pay for water use, like we all do? Why do they get FREE water?
    3) how can they say no one’s well has been affected? we’ve heard countless testimonies regarding wells that are cloudy and silty; folks with washers that are so gritty, they need to be replaced
    4) why was there not a “halt” while investigation for stakeholders is being done? They ignored the requests from TINY and TAY TOWNSHIPS to halt the permit — WHY?
    5) WHY, at a time when the Whole World’s clean drinking water is at a premium, is the Province of Ontario allowing such (what I call) CRIMINAL activity to continue?
    Sorry, folks, but my stomach is churning. I cannot believe this is happening. It is pure madness. If one company can use up all of this free, clean water, then why not all companies. (a deliberate stupid question, to show the stupidity of this Ministry) We vote for these people and then they do the bidding of corporations…time and time again. THANK YOU for letting me rant.

    • John Morgan says:

      We have a habit pf putting brokerage parties in power. A merry go round which allows off shore owned mega companies to steal and compromise our potable water, purest in the world to wash gravel. This is Government lunacy. In today’s case Conservatives but who did you vote for. Maybe Jill Dunlop who is conveniently absent.

  2. Carolyn Handy says:

    So angry and disappointed with the actions of the Ontario government and their support of the aggregate companies regarding their obvious greed and destruction of our safe water supply.
    People of Ontario and this local area deserve better. Remember this when Election Day is here.

  3. Donna Deneault says:

    I will write to these 3: enviropermissions, MECP and PREMIER DOUG FORD

  4. Jan McFarland says:

    This is wrong — a self serving act on the governments side! These aggragete companies are justifying their approach to nature and water.
    I know water is sacred and life giving and to be protected by caring people for all life Not just economic interests.
    Stop this approach NOW. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

  5. John Bacher says:

    Terrible disgrace. All ponds eventually leak. This will leak into the world’s purest water which is used as gold standard for water purity.

  6. Michael Douglas says:

    This is another blatant disregard for our environment on the part of the current provincial government and adding to an established pattern of destructive environmental policy. Talking to the current Ontario government must be done, however they have proven themselves to be tone-deaf to any and all measures to support the protection of our environment, beginning in the early days of their tenure with secret summits and direct confrontations with environmental advocacy. Policy after policy has been introduced by the current provincial government to directly enrich their political support without regard to the cost of seriously undermining the health and welfare of Ontario residents for generations into the future.

  7. Donna Deneault says:

    I recently attended (on Zoom) a WEBINAR with Environmental Defense. 1,200 attended. The main subject: MZO’s (Minister’s Zoning Order). I learned that one of Ford’s biggest election donations came from: Mattamy Homes. Is anyone surprised? I think 1,000 emails to Appeal the Decision on PTTW is great. What would be even greater is if we flood Premier Ford’s Office with 1,000 verbal appeals: (416) 325-1941.

    Who is with me?

  8. Donna Deneault says:

    I just got off the phone with “Pam” at Premier Ford’s office. I explained that it is very important for the Premier to know that numerous Ontario citizens will be appealing the Permit To Take Water for aggregate washing. I said we will be emailing the Ministry. She asked me to send an email to Ford and Yurek. I said “Pam do you feel that phone calls carry more weight?” I continued “Will you please make sure he knows that I called? I want him to know that I called.” She paused and then said “ok”, we are limited to 130 words. She promised to give him my message. She also said that our emails should say URGENT in the subject line and that we should email Yurek as well.
    Stay safe out there.

  9. Patricia Taylor says:

    This is terrible news. Why has this Conservative Government no regard or interest in science and drinking water? It is one thing after another with Doug Ford which the ministry is under direction.

  10. Holly Levinter says:

    The experts state there will be no ill effects. The project is approved. There are many ill effects. So now, what happens? Nothing!
    I’ll tell you what happens when you phone and write the premier’s office which he says is always open to the public.
    I phoned and stated my concerns. I asked if the premier would hear about them. Office; Oh Yes. Me: Would it be more effective if I wrote him? Office yes. Me: what is his address? Office gives address.
    I wrote the letter and received a form letter stating how important my letter is to the premier and that he reads them all. He will respond shortly.
    I figured a day or two and a response – ok he’s busy, maybe longer. A month passed. No response.

  11. Donna Deneault says:

    I am drafting a letter, which I will send to Minister Yurek, enviropermissions@ontario.ca, and Premier Ford. I feel like doing a BCC to Toronto Star Editor. (or Simcoe County News)

    My question: should I wait? Did I hear that FoTTSA will send us a letter which we can use? I don’t want to miss any vital points, if I do one on my own.

    I will be having family members and friends use mine and ‘modify’ it to their liking…to send one in. (Strength in numbers)

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