Council passes motion lobbying province to test water well sediment

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The long saga of reported water well issues in the North Kent area has prompted Chatham-Kent council to urge the province to do more testing.

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An all-hazard investigation, conducted in 2021, had looked into the impact of the construction and operation of the North Kent Wind farm on wells after some residents reported sedimernts clogging their wells.

In November, Keith Benn, a geologist on the investigating panel, reiterated the report’s finding that there were no widespread health hazards.

But more sampling, including of the sediment, was required, he stressed. He said the panel recommended this step to identify concentrations of potentially toxic substances, particularly metals.

Benn, who joined several residents in making deputations to council Monday, called it “critical and urgent” that the Health Ministry pursue the study further.

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“I sincerely hope that the municipality . . . will be able to convince the ministry to do that, as quickly as possible,” he said.

North Kent Coun. Rhonda Jubenville entered the motion, which council passed without discussion as part of the consent agenda.

The all-hazard Investigation analyzed only water, not sediment, from participating wells, it said.

Concerns were first raised in summer 2016 about potential well impacts before the industrial wind turbines were built in the North Kent Wind area, which takes in a large portion of Chatham Township.

Soon after construction began, several nearby households said their wells became clogged, blaming the problem on piles driven into Kettle Point black shale aquifer to erect the 34 turbines.

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Privately funded testing of sediments from nine private wells in North Kent showed concentrations of “potentially toxic and dangerous heavy metals,” similar to concentrations known to exist in the metal-rich Kettle Point black shale, Jubenville’s motion said.

The motion called on the Health Ministry to finish specific health hazard testing left incomplete after the all-hazard investigation.

She also asked for complete studies of “bio-availability of potential toxic substances associated with the sediment” in all water North Kent wells in footprint area of the North Kent 1, East Lake St. Clair and  Boralex wind farms.

The Daily News has reached out to the minister’s office.

In her deputation, resident Christine Burke urged action, given the poor water quality experienced by many in the area.

“We need to know the health impact this will have on all of us, our pets and our livestock,” she said.

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