The provincial government is moving forward with plans to start testing the water quality of privately-owned wells in Chatham-Kent, roughly a year and a half after making the initial announcement it would do that.
MPP Monte McNaughton previously announced the launch of a health hazard investigation on roughly 200 privately-owned water wells back in July 2019.
Water Wells First has been advocating for an investigation for years after Dover Township residents first started reporting black well water. Further testing later revealed a significant increase in black shale particles in that water. The group claimed then -- and maintains now -- that the construction and operation of wind turbines negatively affected water quality in the area.
On Thursday, McNaughton announced that a panel of five experts, appointed by the Ministry of Health, will conduct the investigation effective immediately and sample up to 189 private wells that were part of the baseline water tests completed in 2018.
McNaughton attributed the delay to the investigation to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the logistics of assembling a panel.
"The most important thing here is that we get this right and to have an independent panel outside of government do the investigation, is the right approach," he said. "The expert panel had to do a request for proposal and ensure that there was a contractor to do the work. Of course, COVID-19 did delay some of the actions this year but I'm proud that this is going forward. We need to get to the bottom of this and get answers for those families in Chatham-Kent."
The panel consists of two toxicologists, an environmentalist health scientist, an epidemiologist who specializes in exposure measurement, and a geologist from Port Lambton -- Dr. Keith Benn. Englobe Corporation was chosen to execute well water and sediment sample collection and testing.
Due to the pandemic, the term of the panel has been extended by one year to December 31.
Water Wells First Spokesperson Jessica Brooks said she is glad the provincial government is moving forward with the investigation but expects that some residents may remain a little skeptical until results are made public.
"It is long overdue. We understand that the pandemic put a delay on things but we are glad to see this moving forward," she said.
Brooks said while some affected residents are forced to use the well water for cleaning and bathing purposes, others (like Brooks' husband) haul water to their home every week.
"Especially in the winter months... it's arduous and it's messy and it takes two to three hours every week to do that," she said.
Thursday's announcement did come as a surprise to Brooks as she hadn't heard an update from the province in regards to the situation since March 2020, just before the pandemic was declared.
"This was a nice surprise but no, it has not been well communicated," said Brooks. "Even before [the pandemic] there were no meetings, there were no statements to homeowners, there has been very little communication so I think a lot of us are a little confused as to what's going to happen."
The five-member panel is expected to review existing and new data collected to assess if the well water in question is safe for consumption. McNaughton said affected resident can expect to be contacted soon as Englobe Corporation is expected to be in the field by late January.
"I've certainly been making phone calls and responding to questions for a long time. Keep in mind this has been going on for years, this is a result of the McGuinty Liberal government putting wind turbines all over rural Ontario," said McNaughton. "There will certainly be communications with all of the families in Chatham-Kent regarding this [investigation]."