Water Wells First wants a say in the ongoing effort to determine the impact of turbidity in Chatham-Kent well water.
"We as a community have been asking for this and avocating strongly for this for several years including the last year since the [new provincial] government formed," said group member Kevin Jakubec. "It's welcomed that this [health hazard investigation] is beginning but we want to get this off to a good start."
The response from the water wells advocacy group comes one-week after Minister of Labour Monte McNaughton announced the Ford government would be installing a third-party panel of scientists to investigate black shale particles, which have continued to outrage several residents living in the municipality -- more specifically, in North Kent.
According to Jakubec, previous research conducted by Aecon was untruthful, scientifically invalid, and included various mischaracterizations about the problem.
"We've had an opinion given to us by a medical toxicologist who has experience in working with the Marcellus black shell in New York State," said Jakubec, who explained the report was used in future government analysis. "He cautioned the ministry that going ahead and adding another wind-farm would only lead to more exposure to these small particles of black shale, which are known to contain heavy metal."
Jakubec also noted alleged increases in cadmium and cancer rates in the region as ongoing concerns. Elevated cadmium in the body, however, can also be attributed to smoking tobacco and exposure to carbon emissions.
In a letter to McNaughton's office, Jakubec cited a public meeting at the best possible way to get a full grasp of what the province's objective is for the study.
"We recognize that right off the start, there's a real need in this investigation for a hydrogeologist, a geochemist, and a seismologist," said Jakubec. "We want to push that issue now because we feel if we don't have those three specialists on the investigation panel, then we really don't have much sense in doing this investigation."
Jakubec said if the criteria laid out by Water Wells First members are not met, then the study will be a "waste of time and money to the government."