As local activists fight for clean water contingency measures during wind farm construction, some farmers in Dover continue to live with cloudy well water.
Local media were invited to the home of Laurier Cartier Friday, one of the farmers affected by cloudy well water in the area. The farmer keeps bottles of saved well water in his basement, with light-coloured sediment swirling inside.
The "Water Wells First" group claims vibrations from past wind farm installations has disrupted the area's soil, increasing sediment levels in landowners' wells. The group is aware of at least 20 properties that are dealing with this issue.
"Where there's local ground sensitivities, this is aggravated. We know in our area of Dover Township, there's a very strong sensitivity to vibration impacts. That we know," says Spokesperson Kevin Jakubec.
The group claims there's a definitive connection between the wind turbine construction back in 2011, and the deterioration of the well water. They say the changes took place not long after the turbines were installed, and residents' water quality was supposedly fine before then.
"Maybe [the landowners] felt like they couldn't [say anything] because they felt they were up against a large multinational corporation, and up against indifferent levels of government," adds Jakubec.
A new wind project, North Kent Wind 1, is slated to begin construction near the end of 2016. Government documents show contingency measures for disrupted wells will come in the form of bottled water.
Water Wells First has issued a Notice of Appeal to the Ontario Government, which could stall the process.They're looking to have "vibration suppression" measures put in place for all current and future Ontario wind turbines.
