Very little business on Council's agenda last night. It's becoming the norm.
Three delegations took an hour.One came from the region about water. A second was the conservation authority about the Holland River. The third was from Snowball St Kitt's Jazz Festival.
There are nine municipalities in the region. All would likely receive the same presentation. Three people would take twenty- seven hours. Add travel time and mileage and a week's executive salary, could easily be tallied. There might even be a meal depending on distance and timing.
What's it all about, Archie?
Well. it all stemmed from nine deaths by negligence. Walkerton Council gave responsibility for water safety to an individual completely out of his depth in the job. He went to jail.
First the Province of Ontario, wiped out the Ontario Water Resources Commission to save money. The commission was an essential resource to municipalities and safeguarded the water we drank.
Wells in Walkerton are surrounded by fields regularly fertilized with fresh manure. E-coli got into the water and people died. Swift and horrible deaths.
There was an inquiry.
Following which, the province introduced new requirements to keep water safe. New chemicals to be added. Applied province wide, they made it possible for elected officials to go to jail instead of some poor bastard who got the job, probably because he was cheap.and his brother was a volunteer fire fighter.
The Ontario Water Resources Commission was not re-established. That might have acknowledged culpability in the Walkerton deaths.It would also have required the province to spend money.
Oh Dear no. We couldn't have that. Let's point the finger at municipal councillors instead and make them legally liable.
So now .... last night's presentation .
Pages and pages of graphs , statistics, maps,drawings and designs depicting this and that. No doubt, the product of weeks of busy beaver engagement in cubicles at the region. How many more people on the payroll: is anybody's guess.
Our water supply is fine. No problem with quality. The aquifer is 300 feet deep protected by variable layers.
The purpose of the exercise was to pinpoint risks.
Oh my Goodness yes...there are 187 of the little blighters in Aurora. X marks the spots. Shaded red for severe .... orange for next to severe.
A chemical has been identified. It's used in dry cleaning.
Silly me... I asked if it was a natural element found in the ground or had it been put there?
I thought rapscallions must be dumping the stuff illegally.
But that's not it at all. The chemical is being used by industries. Like dry cleaners.
So now, because of Walkerton, we have an entire army at the region, sussing out all possible risks to water from people going about their business, innocently and legally. Big brother has sought them out.
I have been hearing whispers about the region spending millions, completely unneccessarily, replacing structures, to meet provincial dictum on water.
Last night's presentation was the travelling show.
Connection to increase in water charges by the region was not referenced.
I went to the Region's Inaugural this year. Each member made inaugural comments.It was like yuk yuk.
I don't expect much from that elected body.
I launched a second challenge this year to Aurora's methodology for calculating water rates
The Mayor, our regional representative, without experience of any kind on the issue, dismissed my concern with the comment. "Water is the best bargain we have.".
Wednesday 26 October 2011
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5 comments:
Oh Dear no. We couldn't have that. Let's point the finger at municipal councillors instead and make them legally liable..
Oh no... council wants the control over a department but not the "legal liability"? Why not? It is council that makes the decisions that ultimately contribute to the quality - or lack of quality of the water. Perhaps the legal liability would force councils to think things through better.
As far as the cost of water.... You get what you pay for. If water quality is ensured... I will pay for it.
don’t you wish that some of your readers were more on the ball before making silly remarks like Oct 26,11:59.
The good thing is you can sort them out , Since when does the local council control anything to do with water except charge for it , The Region owns the rights to it ,the Region pumps it , The Region stores it , the Region ships it , the Region kills whatever lives in it , The Town brings it to your door and charges for it , how is it then that local council should assume any risks in view of the above. Get your facts straight!!
Just a minute , are you telling us that there was yet another water guru in the room lecturing you about water safety and the threat associated with Dry Cleaning chemicals , Here all along we thought the biggest threat was the road salt which was the driving force behind the million $ snow dump , Surely high on the list of threats to Aurora water must have been raod salt , Could it be that raod salt contains dry clening chemicals, Now we're confused , we need answers Councilor
to Anonymous @ 12:24.
Before you start spouting off, I know full well how the water supply is handled. However, I think that you will find that although the water is supplied by York Region, the Town is responsible to ensure it falls into the health guidelines. So the Council of Aurora - who pays the salary of the water quality people - SHOULD be held liable.
So get YOUR facts straight.
Speaking of water - what is going on at the underground tank on Bathurst north of Bloomington? There is a big hole in the ground.
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