| Walsh water issues raised at council |
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| Written by production |
| Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:58 |
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One Walsh resident is up in arms over the ongoing issue of water in the small hamlet in Cypress County. Jeff Shoesmith, who has been vocal in his discontent in the past, approached county council at their regular board meeting on Mar. 2 to express his concerns about the water treatment plant, water quality and to give council suggestions as to alternatives. For years, Walsh water customers were under a boil water order, but a new filtration system several years ago was supposed to alleviate the turbidity problems. At the time, the new system was working efficiently, but not long after the installation, Alberta Environment put in place more stringent requirements and even with the new system, Walsh water did not meet provincial standards. Shoesmith, a former county employee who tended to the previous water treatment plant, told council members last Tuesday, that he is becoming increasingly frustrated with the amount of money being pumped into the water treatment plant, but no apparent results coming out of the investments. "How does a person get this frustrated?" asked Shoesmith. "It is easy to sit back and criticize, but I could no longer just sit back. I have a huge problem with this water issue," he added. Shoesmith said part of the problem is with Spring Creek Hutterite Colony drawing water from the system and depleting the supply that is intended for Walsh customers. "That water is meant for Walsh," he said. Shoesmith said the millions of dollars spent over the past several years has been a waste, with no significant improvements seen. "Three and a half years later and millions of dollars later, there are still no hook-ups, just lots of excuses," he said. "The biggest problem is the council gets poor decisions from its public works," he added. Shoesmith then delved into a lengthy discussion on the filtration systems and alternatives that he believed would be more sufficient for the water that has a high mineral content. He was also in disagreement over how the public works cleaned the filtration systems. "I operated the plant for three peak seasons before the new system and for two after this system was put in and it is after, that all the problems started...If you clean both systems at the same time, some crap is getting through and going straight to the Cadillac (Shoesmith's moniker for the water treatment plant)," he said. "The water has gone from rotten, crappy smelling water to what we have now. It is good, but I have shown how much you have spent to get here," he added. Public works supervisor, Rick Bleau was the first county official to address Shoesmith's concerns. "He knows we have done some of the things he has laid out here," said Bleau. "When we first started, we only had to deal with turbidity, but the regulations have changed sincce then,' he added. Bleau also noted that the problem is with the minerals in the water and he has been told by Alberta Environment that Walsh has the most unique water they have ever seen. "There are nine options out there, but we can not just go out there and try something out. That is not how it works," said Bleau. "Without Alberta Environment approval, we can not do anything. Every little thing has to go through Alberta Environment," he added. From hiring engineers to contracting divers, Cypress County has done many different things to try to find the source of the problem and continues to do so. |