On November 23, Lanark Village residents were sent a letter from the Regional Medical Officer of Health, informing them that they should either boil their water before using it, or else install a water treatment system in their wells.
This proves a point that I have been trying to make to Mayor Bob Fletcher since we met to discuss this issue on July 6th: Given the quality of the groundwater in the village, it is a moral imperative for Lanark Highlands Township Council to use the funds already in its possession to ensure that village residents are able to enjoy safe, drinkable water now, as opposed to waiting for several years while a sewer and water system is being built. This means that the township should pay the cost of individual UV and reverse osmosis treatment systems on individual wells.
At our July 6th meeting, Deputy Mayor Horlin objected that any township funds used for helping local residents with their wells would not be available for the sewer and water project, but Mayor Fletcher agreed with me. “Scott is right,” he responded. At the end of the meeting, I made a point of asking several other participants if I had heard the mayor correctly on this point. They confirmed that I had.
Unfortunately, a day later the mayor was saying precisely the opposite thing on Lake 88 radio:
“We’re being told ... maybe we should be spending our money to provide filter systems for people who have the problem. But that’s a band-aid solution that would spend half the money we’ve put away to try to get the grant. So if we do anything in the meantime as a band-aid, we’d screw ourselves for getting the big dollars.”
But listen to what the health officer’s letter says:
“As Medical Officer of Health for the Counties of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, I strongly advise you to immediately take action to ensure that the water you are using for drinking, preparing food, dishwashing and dental and personal hygiene is safe. This can be achieved by:
- Treating the water with a treatment system recognized as effective in removing harmful bacteria
OR
- Boiling the water for one minute to destroy bacteria.
“While boiling water for one minute or treating it with chlorine or UV light will destroy bacteria, this does NOT remove nitrates or other chemicals that may be in your water. Water with high nitrate levels must not be used for feeding infants 6 months of age or younger. An alternative safe source must be used. Reverse Osmosis water treatment removes nitrates.”
For five months, I have been recommending precisely this solution to the problem: UV treatment for bacteria in the water, and reverse osmosis for nitrates. I regret that my advice was not taken by Mayor Fletcher when it was first given to him. Had this been done, many or perhaps all of the homes in Lanark Village would now have water treatment systems on their wells, at no cost to homeowners, and the Health Officer’s letter of alert would not have been necessary.
Sincerely,
Scott Reid
