Alliston Community Christian School, a private elementary school nearly 100 kilometres north of Toronto, faces a $9,500 fine from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, following improper maintenance of its school drinking water well.
The rural school was developed in the early 1980s by the Alliston Interdenominational Christian School Society, which was convicted of four violations under the provincial Safe Drinking Water Act.
A provincial court bulletin in September noted that the school of about 70 students had not completed all required microbiological sampling and raw water testing during several months in 2023, a violation that had previously occurred in 2014.
An investigation further determined that there was no evidence that drinking water samples from the well had been obtained and analyzed for lead from 2019 to 2022.
Subscribe to our Newsletter!
The latest environmental engineering news direct to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
During a 2023 inspection of the private school, provincial officers noted that the school’s principal had managed the drinking water well for nearly nine months without training certification.
Similar non-compliance issues involving the small, non-municipal, non-residential drinking water system resulted from inspections in 2006 and 2010, according to the ministry.
In addition to the fine, the school must also pay a victim fine surcharge of $2,375.
Notably, leading scientists from around the world have previously designated the Alliston aquifer as having some of the purest water on the planet. A study about the region’s water quality is ongoing by the University of Alberta.
Shades of Walkerton. Mike Harris removed the testing of water. Every person with a well could have their water tested at no charge. Then along came Mike Harris. Doug who’s dad was in the government of Mike Harris has removed the auto/truck licensing fee. This was to save auto owners money and gain votes. Sadly Doug has short changed medicare and he endorses private clinics.
to be fair, Heighington et al v Ontario wrote case law as it applies to waste on/in land. The latest dodge is to pile construction soil, let it sit for 3- 5 years and take two excavator to homogenise the soil and ship it out as clean fill