The removal of 20,000 tonnes of contaminated soil from around the Kenilworth reservoir is expected to be completed by the middle of next year.
The City of Hamilton has awarded a $6.8-million contract to the lowest of three bidders, Torbear Contracting Inc.
Ward 6 Coun. Tom Jackson says removal is a costly, but “responsible” approach.
“The last thing I wanted, for years down the road to occur,” says Jackson, “that the council of the day discovered this and took the easier, cheaper way out by saying, ‘hopefully we can manage the contaminated soil.'”
Get breaking National news
He notes that the Kenilworth reservoir “services the entire mountain population, about 160,000 people, with fresh drinking water.”
A staff report indicates that the removal of contaminated soil, to be replaced with clean fill, will take between six and eight months to complete.
- Winnipeg councillor accused of sexual assault attends city hall meeting
- Watchdog finds little oversight over multi-billion-dollar Indigenous procurement program
- Ford government to table 2026 budget with warning of ‘tougher times’ ahead
- Calgary mayor says ‘target’ of RCMP probe isn’t ‘past or present’ member of council
Read more: City councillor says Waterdown Garden Supply neighbours need reassurance of well-water testing
City councillors have also received a report finding that well water testing of 12 properties around Waterdown Gardens found no evidence of water contamination due to soil dumping at that location.
“I felt a big sigh of relief come over the area,” says Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson, “when the report came back from the expert consultant.”
Ferguson adds that it’s reassuring “not only for human beings, but for all the livestock around that area.”
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.