Results of ongoing well monitoring at the Millstream Meadows site may have neighbours sleeping a little easier, or at least not wondering about their well water.
In response to a request from Highlands council last month for an update on the remediation of the site, the Capital Regional District confirmed in a letter that water quality has improved since the 2008 remediation work was completed and there is no migration of any residual contamination from the property. Highlands council officially received this letter at its Monday meeting.
In October, 20 drinking water wells within a one-kilometre radius of the Millstream Meadows site were tested, including one owned by the District of Highlands. No contamination related to degraded diesel was detected in that well, which is consistent with samples taken since November 2007.
Since testing began, none of the wells have shown contamination from degraded diesel, which was once dumped at the site.
Millstream Meadows is a 32-acre site off Millstream Road across from the municipal hall, that was used as an unregulated dumping site for septage waste from approximately 1941 to 1985. Initially the site was privately owned but the province acquired and operated it for a brief period in 1974. It came into the CRD’s possession in 1984 before it was closed in 1985.
CRD staff continue to monitor site conditions and are working with the provincial government to complete additional investigations and evaluate long-term management options for the site.
The goal of this remediation project, which has seen co-operation between the province, the CRD and the District of Highlands, is to see the property returned to public use.
katie@goldstreamgazette.com