A member of Water Wells First, a community group fighting to protect water wells in Chatham-Kent, is calling a recent investigation into private wells by the Ministry of Health a scam.
Kevin Jakubec calls the investigation a "bait and switch" tactic that is deceptive, adding the scope of this investigation is limited and public consultation was not part of the process. Jakubec is also calling on Premier Doug Ford to have the Minister of Environment publicly and officially declare that the North Kent Wind farm is causing water well interference.
"Its a bait and switch that the PCs [Ontario Conservatives] pulled when they reneged on their commitment to undertake a proper Health Hazard Investigation into the water wells and did instead this All Hazard Investigation," said Jakubec. "But even a bait and switch can't hide the reality of water wells being impacted."
Water Wells First has for years been complaining that wind farm installation and operation can lead to destruction of the aquifers that residents rely on, resulting in toxic black water. The group said the construction and operation of wind farms are the main cause of these water problems, as Chatham-Kent’s aquifers are sensitive to land vibration.
Jakubec points to the report showing that the installation and operation of turbines has and is causing well interference in North Kent. He also said the potential health effects associated with this interference remain unexplored and added the area affected by well interference is likely larger than indicated by this report and doesn't include Dover Township.
"Well interference, even in the absence of health impacts, has resulted in the loss of use or enjoyment of property," he said as he cites Section 99 of the Environmental Protection Act. "If a real Health Hazard Investigation was done, as Doug Ford committed in writing to me. Then the Public could have participated more."
Jakubec said Bill Clarke, the Hydrogeologist first hired by Water Wells First, discovered and reported this area-wide water well interference from North Kent Wind farm's construction to the Ontario Ministry of Environment Senior Hydrogeologist Bruce Harman at the ministry's London office years before this All Hazard Investigation was even started.
The ministry report showed that data derived from the 2021 investigation revealed well water in the North Kent 1 area to be of “substantially poorer quality” in comparison to well water from outside of the North Kent 1 area and a comparison of the recent data to the baseline assessment before the towers were constructed indicates that the general water quality in the North Kent 1 area has deteriorated significantly between 2017 and 2021.
“The results of those two comparisons are consistent with well water interference within the North Kent 1 area between 2017 and 2021,” read the report.
The ministry's area of study was north of Chatham where North Kent 1 wind farm has had 34 turbines spinning since early 2018 just northeast of Pioneer Line and Bear Line.
The ministry said more research needs to be done to determine if drinking the well water poses a health risk.