An extensive investigation into the Antwerp Springs water contamination
in Coldstream and Lavington last year has ended in charges under the
province's water protection and environmental management acts. An
Environment Ministry official says the North Okanagan Regional District,
the District of Coldstream, Pan-O-Ramic Farm Limited and the owner of
the dairy farm, Ernest Rodney Palfrey, are defendants in the case. All
will make a first appearance in court next month. NORD and Coldstream
are facing four charges including; operate well in a manner to cause
adverse impact, introduce foreign matter into well, allow contamination
of drinking water and fail to provide potable water. Under provincial
legislation, a maximum one-million dollar fine can be imposed if
convicted of `allowing the contamination of drinking water.' Pan-O-Ramic
Farm and Palfrey have three counts against them including; allow the
contamination of drinking water, introduce activity-related waste into
environment and introduce waste into environment causing pollution. In
January 2010, it was discovered that e-coli and other bacteria had
seeped into the Antwerp well system affecting water to some 3500
residents in Coldstream and Lavington. Emergency officials worked
overnight, knocking on doors to ensure all affected residents knew not
to drink or even wash in the water. Thousands of litres of bottled water
had to be trucked in.
----------
It's taken over a year to investigate, but the provincial environment
ministry is now going ahead with charges in the contamination of the
Antwerp Springs water source. The charges are under both the water protection and environment acts
and name as defendants the regional district, Coldstream, Pan-o-ramic
Farms and the owner of the farm, Rod Palfrey. The contamination affected nearly 4 thousand residents of Coldstream for an extended period starting January 13th. The well has since been sealed off permanently The charges relate to allowing animal waste into the well, allowing
contamination of a domestic water supply, and failure to provide potable
water in a domestic system. A first court apearance is set for October 27. Coldstream mayor Jim Garlick tels KISS FM, it'll be up to the lawyers. "The District has sought legal counsel, and will be requesting full
disclosure of evidence and determining what the prosecutor is seeking."
--------------
1 comment:
Wow - someone asleep at the switch at NORD.
Post a Comment