Trail time Province ‘dropped the ball’: geologist

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Benn said the recent all-hazard water well investigation in North Kent fell short as there was no analysis of the ultra-fine sediment in 61 well samples that were studied.

He said the government “dropped the ball,” as the presence of sediment in the well water was, in fact, the main motivating factor for the all-hazard investigation.

Benn is quick to point out he’s not a toxicologist, but he “suspects the very small sediment particles might have more bio-availability of the associated metals than would the coarser particles.”

The independent analysis is the most recent action taken by property owners who believe their wells are contaminated because of wind turbines in the areas of Dover and the former Chatham Township.

The North Kent 1 wind farms consists of 34 wind turbines and the East Lake St. Clair Wind Farm near Mitchell’s Bay has 55 turbines in operation. There are another five turbines operated by Boralex on Marsh Line in Dover.

Area residents have long complained their water wells were ruined when the wind farms came into play. They’ve brought their concerns forward repeatedly to Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton since 2011 and even to Doug Ford prior to his being elected pre- mier in 2018.

At the time, Ford promised a health hazard study, however that was changed to an all-hazard study. When the all-hazard testing was carried out, only wells in the former Chatham Township were sampled. No Dover area wells were tested.

Benn said he learned there was no sediment testing by the provincial probe after the fact.

The geologist said he is hoping to bring the new information forward to Chatham-Kent council sometime in May to outline the latest test results.

“Government is ultimately working for us,” Benn stressed.