Town ordered to do more testing

By Tamara Neely
Staff Reporter

A decision by the Alberta Environmental Appeals Board requires Turner Valley to expand the parameters of testing to ensure water safety in their new reservoir.
On March 11, Environment Minister Rob Renner approved recommendations from the Alberta Environmental Appeals Board regarding construction of the raw water reservoir in Turner Valley.
The ruling brings closure to an appeal of the reservoir construction approval by resident Roxanne Walsh. Walsh, who was concerned about the potential for contamination of the reservoir due to the oil and gas history in the area, questioned whether the Town was doing enough to ensure the safety of the reservoir.
The board concluded that the Town must do more, but does not need to install a synthetic liner contrary to one of Walsh’s main requests.
The hearing took place on Jan. 28 and 29, 2008 and the board weighed evidence presented by the appellant, Alberta Environment and the Town of Turner Valley.
Gilbert Van Nes, general counsel and settlement officer with the Environmental Appeals Board, explained that the Town cannot fill the reservoir until they meet the new requirements, however, the clay liner currently in place was found to be suitable for protecting water from contamination.
“The clay liner, assuming it is constructed as they’ve told us it’s constructed, is as good as a synthetic liner with respect to protecting the water,” said Van Nes.
Citing the monitoring of the water as critical to its safety, the board ruled that while Turner Valley had a monitoring program in place, expanded testing parameters be incorporated into the reservoir approval.
Van Nes explained that the board deemed monitoring to be critical to water safety, since although small, there is a risk of contamination.
While the Town’s risk assessment predicted it would be impossible for there to be contamination in the reservoir, the board found that is not the case.
“The board found that the risk assessment prepared by the Town did not stand up to scrutiny at the hearing,” said Van Nes.
The board made the distinction that the risk of contamination is not zero, it is “sufficiently small as to be tolerable in comparison with other public risk decisions.”
This distinction is important, the report states, to correctly focus on the need for accurate testing programs, “because there is no room for complacency about assuring the safety of the Town of Turner Valley’s water supply.”
Dona Fluter, mayor of Turner Valley, is not surprised with the ruling.
“I’m satisfied,” she said. “The board made a reccommendation to the minister about making sure the parameters of testing were extensive and that is something we had been anticipating all along.”
Fluter explained that with each step in the development of the reservoir the Town adhered to requirements from the director for Alberta Environment southern region, David Ardell, and his staff.
Stan Ogrodniczuk, chief administrative officer for the Town of Turner Valley, said he does not interpret the board’s ruling as an expansion of the parameters, rather he sees it as a ruling to continue the testing they have been doing.
He said the Town has been conducting a monitoring program that has, over the course of construction, continued to expand beyond the parameters set by Alberta Environment’s initial approval. The board’s ruling included the expanded parameters of testing in the requirements of the approval.
Walsh interpreted the ruling differently. She sees it as an expansion of the parameter of testing, including increased frequency and the inclusion of testing they hadn’t been required to do in the initial approval, for example, testing for Naturally Ocurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs).
“The director knew about the problem with NORMs (in the Turner Valley area) but didn’t require any tests for it, which is just outrageous,” said Walsh.
The board ruled that the testing for NORMs be included in the reservoir approval.
Walsh said that overall she is pleased with the board’s decisions, but due to the potential for human error, she would nevertheless feel more comfortable if the reservoir had a synthetic liner.
“I see the logic behind it, that if they do the testing properly for the expanded paramenters they should be able to detect contamination ahead of time,” said Walsh. “But the water filtration plant can’t filter out these things, it’s built for bacteria, like E.coli.”
The board’s report commended Walsh for “taking such an interest in the protection of the community water supply in her area.” Her intervention, they said, was beneficial to the development of the reservoir and they encouraged citizens to become more aware of what is happening in the environment, especially with respect to water safety.
“A citizen of Alberta does not have to be an expert to participate in the environmental regulatory process,” the board stated in their report.

Teen stabbed to death

By Darlene Casten
Staff Reporter

An Eden Valley family has been torn apart by the death of a teen, allegedly at the hands of his nephew.
Flags flew at half mast last week at the reserve’s health centre as RCMP from Calgary’s major crimes unit and Turner Valley RCMP officers investigated the case.
A teen from the reserve has been charged with second degree murder and possession of a weapon. He appeared in Okotoks Provincial Court on Friday. The youth is still in custody and no bail hearing has been set.

Flags fly at half-mast in Eden Valley after a teen was stabbed to death last week. A youth has been charged with second degree murder. photo by Lindsay Hanhart