Water Wells First cannot continue unlawful protests at North Kent Wind sites. Oct 02, 2017. (Photo by Paul Pedro)Water Wells First cannot continue unlawful protests at North Kent Wind sites. Oct 02, 2017. (Photo by Paul Pedro)
Chatham

Water Wells First Accuses MOE Of Flip-Flopping

Water Wells First is accusing the Ministry of Environment of flip-flopping when it comes to heavy metals testing.

Group spokesperson Kevin Jakubec wants to know why the ministry has now started testing dissolved heavy metals when it should be testing heavy metals in the sediment.

"It's imperative that the ministry explains why they refuse to collect the sediments and why they're focusing on the water, when clearly this is a contaminating sediments issue," says Jakubec.

The group wants a meeting to discuss, what they call, polluting sediments in the drinking water.

Jakubec says 18 well owners in Dover and Chatham have contaminated wells, and he expects more to become polluted by North Kent Wind pile driving.

The ministry has said in the past that heavy metal testing isn't required and there's no evidence that the well water is contaminated with toxic heavy metals.

Jakubec says the group has spent $330,000 on private testing to include heavy metals and wants the money back, because the ministry should have been doing that work all along.

"We'd like to see our money back because that's unfair to say at one point that we won't consider it and won't allow it, and now they're doing it. What changed?  Why are they doing it?" Jakubec asks.

Jakubec wonders why the ministry has flip-flopped and wants a proper investigation done by the wind developer or the ministry.

"It's a massive problem because what the company is saying is that we're only required to test water for a few key parameters, but that's limiting the scope of their investigation," says Jakubec.

Read More Local Stories