Summer testing reveals unacceptable manganese levels in Verner water
Urgent water problem back on the agenda Tuesday night.
After countless complaints over discoloured water, West Nipissing conducted a testing campaign this summer to quantify the level of manganese in the area drinking water.
As was reported in July, the municipality took samples at 6 different locations across the town of Verner over the summer months.
On at least 5 occasions and at different locations, these tests resulted in manganese concentrations of over 120 ug/L, the current maximum allowable concentration of manganese in drinking water established by Health Canada. Health Canada’s latest guidance warns that exposure to manganese in drinking water can cause neurological and behavioural effects as well as deficits in memory, attention and motor skills. These effects are especially dangerous to young children.
The aesthetic objective for manganese levels (the point where the water will show discoloration and likely stain clothes) is 20ug/L. This summer’s tests reveal that in almost every single sample at every location across town, the aesthetic upper limit was surpassed.
This will likely frustrate area residents who were told last month by municipal staff that Verner water was not discoloured. At a council meeting in August after being pressed several times, the Director of Infrastructure repeated that the discolouration problem was not related to the municipal drinking water source.
Even though the municipality had tests indicating the contrary, staff explicitly told councillors that their current testing was all below the aesthetic threshold.*
*More than 10 samples taken directly at the plant in July and August surpassed the aesthetic objective of 20 ug/L.
The problem is not with the Municipal Water System but that there is likely build up in the resident’s hot water tank or plumbing.” - West Nipissing Director of Infrastructure
Next steps
Verner residents are hoping Tuesday’s meeting will provide not only answers on the high level of manganese in their water, but a realistic outlook on how the problem will be addressed.
In 2021 council received a presentation from staff on the next steps for addressing the problem back then. The timeline had consultations occurring, with a construction start in 2023. The 2021 plan was to have the new water line from Sturgeon Falls in service today (in 2024).
Instead, there is no shovel in the ground and the city appears to not even be close to starting work on such a project.
Water Advisories
In Canada, provincial authorities regulate acceptable water conditions. In other parts of the country such as British Colombia and the Northwest Territories health authorities have adopted the Health Canada regulations and have issued official water advisory notices to affected municipalities.
This summer, the communities of Nahammi Butte (N.W.T) and Kelowna (B.C.) were under official water advisories where residents were specifically instructed to avoid drinking the water because levels exceeded 120 u/L.
When Ontario inevitably adopts these regulations, West Nipissing will be in a crisis situation facing constant water advisories, which could cost the municipality enormously to address. While such advisories would trigger anxiety for area consumers, doing so might legitimize the urgency of the situation.
The West Nip Voice is a regular newsletter covering issues in West Nipissing and the surrounding area. Please consider becoming a subscriber.
On this subject, not trusting the chemical cocktail we are being served in Verner, we have been buying bottled water for years. All the while, our water bill is as high as ever thus paying for water twice. I made some inquiries to the candidates in the last election and was assured that a solution was eminent. Talk is cheap, we need action!
Watching the incompetence and mismanagement once again take hold of this newly elected still finds the one catalyst common to the continued failures this municipality can't seem to overcome. Maybe next election you get the real problems out. Your elected won't fix it so fix them and if not fixing you might be needed. You will keep getting what you pay for if you keep paying for it. Once incompetence is identified and your confidence is lost you dismiss the civil servants you don't pad their pension after indicating their intention to retire on the tax payers who are left devastated by the selfishness of incompetent community civil servants with a track record of accomplishing very little.