PORT STANLEY HARBOUR: With contaminants reaching the water supply for 100,000 area residents within hours, activists demand action
By Chip Martin

Within two hours, contaminants from Port Stanley harbour can reach the intake for a system that supplies drinking water to 100,000 people as far away as London.
 
That finding by Stantec Consulting, and known by some insiders since 2006, has brought calls to scuttle port divestiture talks and start a full-scale cleanup involving all levels of government.

"The Transport Canada contamination is a threat to our water supply," said port activist Dan McNeil. "This fact must drive transparent, scientific research as required by Ontario law. Anything less is criminal."

He is concerned a quick turnover of the harbour along with a few million dollars from Transport Canada falls far short of what's needed.

McNeil is joined by Bob Chantler, head of an environmental action group in Port Stanley, who says the risk to the region trumps any possible real-estate deal.

"It's just an accident waiting to happen," Chantler said, referring to the proximity of the intake for the Elgin area water supply system to the harbour area that is laced with toxins such as arsenic, toluene and PCBs left behind by industry.

"It would be irresponsible for Transport Canada to settle a deal under these circumstances," said Chantler who spearheads Citizens for a Better Port Stanley.

Chantler said Central Elgin, with whom divestiture talks have dragged on under a veil of secrecy imposed by Transport Canada, also would be irresponsible to reach a deal that would saddle it with "an albatross around its neck."

A sailor, Chantler said he's familiar with the Kettle Creek outfall plume in Lake Erie that is already carrying coal tar and mercury to the water intake east and south of the harbour.

"That doesn't surprise me at all," Chantler said. He has sailed over the brown-stained water that flows east from the harbour toward the intake.

But Central Elgin Mayor Sylvia Hofhuis said the two-hour estimate was "news" to her. She has said she's familiar with all relevant reports about the harbour.

Hofhuis also sits as an alternate member on the Elgin area water board.

She and other Central Elgin negotiators were gathered behind closed doors Friday with Transport Canada officials by MP Joe Preston to try to resolve outstanding issues.

Preston said after the meeting he doesn't expect conclusion of the ownership issue until all environmental issues are understood and until risk assessment reports are done.

"We're not going to rush this," he said.

Stantec's reports on a suggested "intake protection zone" were found on the Internet by McNeil after he received water-related reports from the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority.

McNeil discovered Stantec consultant John Langan had described the two-hour zone with maps -- but without identifying Port Stanley by name -- in the fall 2006 issue of Ontario Pipeline magazine. Stantec was hired to look at "vulnerability" issues for the water board that administers the system.

The zone also appeared during a presentation last June at the Canadian Water Network retreat by the Lake Erie source protection group that is required under the Clean Water Act to identify and address threats to water supplies.

McNeil said Transport Canada has withheld reports about the nature of the contamination of its harbour and has muzzled Central Elgin negotiators with a confidentiality agreement.

He unearthed several environmental reports commissioned by Transport Canada under access-to-information legislation. He has been circulating them widely ever since.

"Apparently the cone of silence prevents local and Transport Canada authorities from acting in the best interests of their citizens," said the retired rear admiral.

Now, he said it's clear what the federal agency should do: "You better make sure you clean up the environmental hazards within that zone."

Chantler wants governments and citizens to band together to deal with the environmental hotspot to protect the future health of the region and its 100,000 water drinkers.