After waiting for years to have contaminated drinking water cleaned up, Harrietsfield residents said they are taking matters into their own hands, holding a protest and sending a letter to the provincial environment minister requesting a meeting.
On Saturday, 25 people marched from the Harrietsfield/Williamswood Community Centre to a shutdown recycling plant that is believed to be the cause of contaminated drinking water.
In 2010, the provincial environment department issued a ministerial order to clean up the site. It was appealed in court by one of the companies named in the order, but a court decision on May 6 rejected the appeal, and put the matter back in the hands of the environment department. With the court case settled, residents at the protest said they want to know when the site will be cleaned up.
“No one is talking to us, no one is giving us answers, that’s why we’re having marches, that’s why we’re having meetings,” said Marlene Brown.
Melissa King said tests showed toxic chemicals in her water exceeded Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines. King said her well water contained high levels of copper, lead, arsenic, manganese, iron, and sodium. She said the contaminated water ultimately forced her to foreclose on her house so that she could move away, because the contaminated water made daily life and chores a challenge.
“Our manganese is almost 200 times the level, and that’s absorbed through the skin. It causes nervous system damage and brain damage, so I was unable to bathe my child there,” said King.
Local Liberal MLA Brendan Maguire said there is no timeline yet for when the drinking water will be cleaned up but said the environment department is working on the case.
“This is a file of the utmost importance to the minister,” said Maguire.
Staff in the department are still going through the court decision to see how it affects the ministerial order, said a spokesperson for Environment Minister Randy Delorey in an emailed statement.
“We are also engaging with the company as they develop their action plans to address the issues at the site and those affecting homeowners in the area,” said spokesperson Heather Fairbairn. “Once we have reviewed and approved these action plans, the department, as regulator will work to ensure the company fulfills its commitment.”
But after years of waiting for the clean up to start, King said she moved away because she wasn’t seeing swift enough action.
“The government, the property owners, the people running the plant, nobody seems to understand the sense of urgency that’s in the community,” said King.
Global News contacted two of the companies named in the clean up order, neither was available for a comment.
Comments