Will West Nipissing test for "Forever Chemicals"?

Former paper mill makes us a potential target for PFAS, however city passes on $1,000 test to investigate.

“I think it’s a test that is well worth it”. - Councillor Fern Pellerin when proposing the city test for “forever chemicals” in municipal water

At their April 16th meeting, council received the annual report from the Manager of Water & Sewer, summarizing the status of West Nipissing’s municipal drinking water systems.

Drinking water quality has been an important item in West Nipissing due to the ongoing discoloured water problems plaguing Verner. But also more recently because of the revelation of the potential harms associated with Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) often described as “forever chemicals”.

PFAS chemicals have been widely used in manufacturing across Canada and was an important agent in firefighting foam used at a training base in North Bay in the 1990s.

Since 2017, this has been an important news story locally because the Department of Defence (DND) identified areas around the military base in North Bay as a hotspot for PFAS contamination in Canada. Since then, they have worked with the Health Unit to start assessing how bad the problem is.

Researchers are just beginning to understand some of the negative health effects linked to exposure to PFAS. According to the North Bay-Parry Sound Health Unit some of the risks associated with PFAS exposure include:

• affecting the developing fetus and child, including possible changes in growth, learning, and behavior;

• decreasing fertility and interfering with the body's natural hormones;

• increasing cholesterol;

• affecting the immune system; and,

• increasing cancer risk.

The growing risks associated with these “forever chemicals” has prompted Health Canada the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create new standards for acceptable levels in human drinking water.

Health Canada is proposing a new standard of 30 nanograms per litre for all PFAS chemicals.

North Bay’s municipal drinking water (sourced out of Trout Lake) averaged at 55 nanograms/litre for all PFAS in 2023. Nearly double the proposed upper limit by Health Canada.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the DND and the City of North Bay would begin a $20 million rehabilitation of areas around the North Bay airport to try and remove some of the contaminants. But it appears it may be too late.

The DND has conducted tests for PFAS at various properties on private wells and have directed many homeowners to exclusively use bottled water since 2017. In a recent episode of the Echo Essentials Podcast, North Bay’s Dave Dale and Scott Clark interviewed a resident who was told by the DND that not even his farm fresh eggs were safe for consumption anymore because of the possible presence of PFAS in the well used to water his hens.

Last month, over 100 people showed up at a community meeting regarding the growing PFAS concerns in North Bay.

West Nipissing, Paper mills, and PFAS

West Nipissing should not consider itself immune from the possible effects of PFAS. According to the Health Unit, PFAS has been detected in Lake Nipissing, however actual data has not been shared with the public. Although West Nipssing draws it’s water from the Sturgeon River which is upstream to the large lake, the concern of PFAS in the regional water table cannot be ignored.

At the April 16th meeting, Councillor Fern Pellerin asked the Water & Sewer Manager if the city could conduct a PFAS test on our drinking water. Not just because of the exposure to North Bay but as pointed out by Pellerin, we had multiple industrial operations along the Sturgeon River in the past which could have also contaminated our water supply.

We all know that a massive corrugated paper mill operated on the Sturgeon River for decades until it was shut down in 2002. The old mill operated less than 1km away from where West Nipissing’s current water treatment plant is located.

Paper mills are one of the most well known culprits when it comes to PFAS emissions. PFAS was widely used since 1960s in many paper making applications. According to a 2021 study, paper product production was “identified as the main source of PFAS chemical” in a Norwegian lake. In Maine, authorities were tracking water sources with extremely high levels of PFAS and in 2021 they identified the source: sludge from paper mills. Last year a group in Wisconsin launched a lawsuit against a papermill for historical use of PFAS which is now contaminating their water. Just google “PFAS and paper mills” and you will find dozens of stories and studies linking the two.

While many are concerned with the issues at the North Bay airport, West Nipsising may be dealing with an even bigger problem.

A $1,000 test

The city manager told council that this is not a standard test and would cost $1,000. Pellerin noted that the city is looking at spending over $10 million to bring the Sturgeon water to Verner in the coming years. He asked if this test should be done before we commit to such an investment considering the incoming standards.

The city manager opined that he didn’t think this test was necessary as we don’t currently have any industrial plants upstream of our water systems.

However Pellerin noted that we certainly did in the past. He also noted that in North Bay, they are finding the chemicals not just in the water adjacent to the airport but also in nearby waterways and groundwater.

If PFAS chemicals were present at the old mill site, they certainly would still be in the ground and would be affecting the Sturgeon River.

Regarding the $1,000 cost Pellerin said “I think it’s a test that is well worth it”.

The CAO told council that if they chose to adopt a motion they could direct the city to conduct this test.

However the mayor shut down discussion by claiming this was not an appropriate discussion or relevant to the subject at hand.

Councillor Kristopher Rivard, the current registered candidate for the Ontario Green Party did not comment on the subject even though one of that party’s known platform issues is to “adopt strong PFAS drinking water standards”.

As soon as the city manager claimed this test was “not necessary”, most could have predicted the outcome as it appears this council does not want to question staff decisions or directions.

No other councillor supported Pellerin’s $1,000 request in opposition to the staff’s recommendation.

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