To the surprise of its citizen advisory board members, the Hamilton Conservation Authority will stop testing a popular Ancaster artesian well once access is restricted to people who sign a legal waiver acknowledging the water isn’t for drinking.
She said those measures and the waiver will end open public access to the well, so it will no longer be classified as a small public drinking water system.
As a result, a new regulatory arsenic limit of 10 parts per billion that takes effect on Jan. 1 won’t apply, Burnside told members of the authority’s advisory board, which in April recommended the well be closed by the end of this year.
We all know people are taking this for drinking water.
That’s what they’ve done in the past and that’s what they’re going to do in the future.
“The water will no longer be tested,” she said.
“They are assuming their own liability and risk.” Burnside said signs at the well will still warn the water has elevated sodium levels and exceeds the arsenic limit.
The authority’s testing in recent years has consistently found arsenic levels range from 17 to 23 parts per billion, below the existing limit of 25 ppb.
“If people are interested in having the water tested, they can pick up bottles at the municipal centre and have that water tested,” Burnside said.
“Hmmm … wow,” Duke O’Sullivan said repeatedly, as Burnside spoke.