Councillors here have some concern on the lack of dialogue with a proposed water supply master plan which could impact Puslinch residents.
On Dec. 17, Puslinch councillors recieved notificiation of the Region of Waterloo water supply master plan update.
The region’s urban plan supplies drinking water to Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, and portions of Woolwich, Wilmot and North Dumfries Townships.
The objective of the update was to develop a strategy to ensure the IUS will have enough water supply capacity to meet projected water demands for the medium term (10-20 years) and the long term (30-40 years).
Mayor Dennis Lever said he was contacted by a past resident who noted there was some confusion regarding the water supply master plan and the integrated water supply master plan.
“We had not really received much notification on that particular plan.”
But Lever also noted there was an East Cambridge environmental assessment based on test wells installed six to seven years ago.
Lever said result from that study are expected to be delivered next spring.
He said there will be representatives coming to council to talk about that particular portion of the plan.
Those wells, he said, did have an impact on wells in nearby Puslinch.
Councillor Wayne Stokley had residents contact him as well.
“I am quite concerned that the township really wasn’t consulted regarding the Waterloo Region water master plan like the township was regarding the Guelph water master plan.”
“We had a lot of input (in Guelph) and it just seems to me that with the comment phase for the Waterloo plan almost over – we still don’t have the EA in front of us.”
Stokley compared it to putting the cart before the horse.
He said the report he has seen has indicated the Townline wells will be necessary for the water supply master plan.
These are the same well which had caused impact on Puslinch area wells.
“The EA report needs to be brought forward first to explain how important the dialogue between the region and Puslinch needs to be along with the impact on our residents if they go forward with those particular wells”
Stokley said the issue continued to bother him and he hopes to address it when the delegation comes in January.
“But I sure wish they would have involved us in more with information before.”
Lever explained that is why he asked for the communication with the region.
“We were unaware there were two separate projects.”
He noted in East Cambridge the intent is to bring those wells up to full production – and that is what that EA is looking at.
Lever added that in Guelph’s study, it was looking at the possibility of additional wells, located in Puslinch.
That project is still underway.
Lever noted there was concern on his part regarding the Waterloo Region plan because Puslinch was not on the list of municipalities being consulted.
“We weren’t on the list and it didn’t make any sense.”
Lever said when the delegation comes the council the issue can be discussed fuirther.
