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WATERLOO GIMME-Wednesday. August 7. 2013- 3. Region of Waterloo recognized as munwzpal leader in mappmgand understanding groundwater MIAMI-31m understand the prmure population growth Chronicle Staff will place on groundwater Bounces between now and 2031. roundwater is truly the lifeblood of Planners expect the population ofWater- GWaterloo Region. Up to 80 per cent of loo Region to increase by nearly 40 per cent all the water we use comes from over the next two decodes, from 543.700 to underground sources â€" nearly 150 million about 730.0)0 by 2031. Early results of those litmeveryday. modelssumtthereg’on isonpaoeto meet Butitbegsthequestionâ€"howawareare itswaterneedsoverthenennvodemdes. we of what's going on down there? And, per- The maximum daily capacity of the sys~ haps more importantly. how well are we tem is about 300 million litres per day and managing it? the region uses about halfthat on an average In midâ€"lune. environmental writer Ed day‘ This summer, the region has seen a Struzik highlighted the importance of map- muddy five to 10 per cent incrme in average ping. monitoring and managing groundwa- daily water use. "Certainly our water-taking is ‘ ter in an era of drought and climate change sustainableoverthelong-tenn.” Corbett said. in a paper titled “Underground Intelligence.” In lune. a contentious multi-blllion dollar He presented it as part of the annual Proâ€" pipeline to transport water from lake Erie to gram on Water issues at the Munk School of g the area was deferred, largely due to Global Affairs at the University of Toronto on conservation eiforts lune ll. Scruzik used Waterloo as an example Per capita water use has dropped from ofprudent municipal water management. 238 litres per day in 2GB to 207 in 2011. The "lthinktheRegionol'Water‘looisprobably goalistoreach iSOlitreaperdayandfurther one of the most positive examples of how a delay thepipeline-pcrhaps indefinitely. regional government has addressed «100 Region w mnldpa leader Crude mm, “my“, “Groundwater may still be our best bet if groundwater." Saudi said in an interview we 9mm“: “mangrégion has in alternate Mm?“ M stations and we mmse it properly â€"â€" it's a better some with the Chronicle. “You‘re probably way wells. “mm of water, it olfers flexibility and redundancy ahead of the rest of the country in terms of in terms of operating our system. and in mappingand modelingand monitoring' protecting our water supply,” said Don and using existing wells to measure and manyrespeasit’sdmper." Corbett said. That sentiment is shared by renowned Corbett, senior hydrogeologist with the recordwaterlevels Threats to the moraine still exist. such as groundwater mapping expert Emil Frind of region 'So we had to step up and make sure Using these methods. a groundwater development on the moraine and the pend the University of Waterloo. “The region is weweredoinga propcjobofit ourselves' monitoring network was establ'mhed and the ing regional appeal with the Ontario Munici- actuallyaleaderinthisarea.’hesaid.“'lhe ln1933there§ondevelopedaoompre mspendsaboutantiflbndolhnannu- palBoard.challengngdevelopersMiowant groundwater is so important here." hensive. “Hear water protection strategy to any on its Mountains program. more than 1,000 hectares of new land for Waterioo Region is the largest municipal learn more about the ”en's groundwater. There are about 120 groundwater wells in the development. compared to the roughly 80 user of groundwater in the country, but 'Weunderstoodthebestwaytoe6eodve reporteadiwithahalfdounorsomonitor- hmmemwanmmmakeavailaue. despite a reputation as a national leader in ly manage our water supply was to under ing wells around it. Other wells monitor Other challenges include nitrates from groundwater management. the push to do so stand it and to map it." Corbett said. recharge rates throughout the region. "It's farmers fields. salt from roads and parking only came about after a brush with disaster Several studies were commissioned to quitean massive network.’ said Corbett. lots in the winter, and trichloroethylene. a in nutty Elmira almost 25yearsago. help the region understand the region's M About a decade ago the process got a common industrial solvmt in late 1989. the community of about moraines About SOper cent ofallyoundwa» technobgical boost when the Ontario Car in 2009 the region collected more than 7,500 people jllSl a few minutes north of the ter comes from the Waterloo Moraine. Oor~ logical Survey completed three~dimensional 1811!) water samples, conducted more than City learned its municipal groundwater sup? bett said. the largest in the region. it spans groundwatermappinginthe region. 131,000 tests and spent nearly $665.” on ply was contaminated with dimethylniv about 400 square kilometres from Waterloo "lint took us much. much further along lab charges. a significant increase over the trosamme. a chemical carcinogen. The toxic to Kitchener and into Wilmot Township. and in terms of mapping and characteriu'ng our 1111!) samples. 41,0!) tests and SIM!!!) in compound was linked to Elmira's Uniroyal consists mainly ofsand and gravel up to 100 groundwater resources." said Corbett. ‘(lt) labcharpsademdeearlier. Chemical lrd., nowt‘hemrum. metres deep in areas gave us a better understanding of how the Corbett said his job is made easier by the iflmira's water has been pumped in from Many of the same methods used to find different aquifers are interconnected. and support he gets from politicians in Waterloo Waterloo since, and the cleanup of oil underground are used to map youndwa~ that's important." Region, who understand the importance of contaminated water and soil remains a let. indudingdiflng test wells at bore holes Using this new information. the region el’fectlvelymanagngthearea‘s groundwater. contentious issue to this day. sending seismic vibrations into the ground can accurately predict current and future "Regional council has defined key focus "lhat‘s when we realized the province and measuring the reverberations to deter groundwater demands within Waterloo. Cur- areas we need to work on. and protecting nut wasn't really looking out for us In terms of mine the geological makeup of the ground. rently. staff are updating those models to watermpply isoneofthose kt-yareas' } YOUR TOP AWARD WINNING SPA ‘ ‘ .. a; 7&7“ 4c M ‘ 'Â¥ 9 510.300.2000 I emu-seen l I Q “hepoAndl-Iclr “I; "‘ "" m“ '"' m .‘