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Home My WebLink AboutPSD-049-18Clarington Planning Services Report If this information is required in an alternate accessible format, please contact the $ FF H V V L E L &9055-923x3379 &xtR2 R U G L Q D W R U Report To: Planning and Development Committee Date of Meeting: June 4, 2018 Report Number: PSD -049-18 Resolution: PD -120-18 File Number: PLN 26.14.1 By-law Number: Report Subject: Clarington Transformer Station Peer Review, Update Recommendations: 1. That Report PSD -049-18 be received; and 2. That all interested parties listed in Report PSD -049-18 and any delegations be advised of Council's decision. Municipality of Clarington 5 H S R U W 3 6 Report Overview 3 D J H Council accepted funding from Hydro One to retain a hydrogeologist to peer review the Surface and Groundwater monitoring program imposed as part of the approval of the Environmental Assessment by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC). The Municipality's hydrogeologist is providing his update on the peer review. 1. Background 1.1 Clarington Council and staff have been involved with the Clarington Hydro Transformer since March of 2012. The Minister of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) approved the project in January of 2014 despite the objections/comments of Clarington Council and residents. 1.2 In June 2014, to address ongoing concerns from community members and residents, Hydro One proposed to Clarington to fund a peer review of their Surface and Groundwater monitoring program. The peer review consultant, SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. were retained and have been working with the residents, staff, Hydro One consultants and G360 group of scientists since late October, 2014. 1.3 In September 2014, Council approved a road use agreement contingent on the drilling of a deep monitoring well. The hydrogeologists agreed that the MW 5-14 site on Hydro One property was the most relevant location for this borehole and monitoring well. The MW5-14 site already has monitors at 4 metres, 7 metres and 40 metres; the deep borehole monitor at 112 metres and another monitor at 52 metres are the result of drilling the deep borehole. This provides multi-level monitoring (or a nested cluster of boreholes and monitors). This site will be the location of the rotosonic multi-level drilling and monitoring well. 1.4 In April 2015, Council approved funding as a contribution to the rotosonic drilling of up to $25,000, by resolution #C-136-15. 1.5 In February 2016, Council approved funding for tritium testing of up to $10,000 by resolution #C-030-16. To date an interim payment of $5,000 was provided to G360 for sampling and tritium analysis on private wells and the interim report received in July 2016. 1.6 In November, 2016 CLOCA entered into agreements with Hydro One which allows access to the site and deep well for ongoing monitoring under the conditions set out in the agreement. CLOCA has a Memorandum of Understanding with G360 for the rotosonic drilling and any scientific work by G360. CLOCA is host to the Oak Ridges Moraine Groundwater Program, they are the legal entity for the agreements. The Municipality is not party to the agreements. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD -049-18 Page 3 1.7 In May 2017, Council approved the reallocation of funding for tritium testing to the 4 well cluster at MW5-14, provided Hydro One and CLOCA are in agreement. 1.8 The Clarington Transformer Station became fully connected to the Hydro One Bulk Electrical network on April 30, 2018. Hydro One reports that the Enfield TS construction is progressing well with the station platform being complete to the bottom of the foundations. The main transformers are due to arrive at site in July 2018. The project in-service date is March 2019. 2. Summary of the Peer Review Findings 2.1 The SLR report reviews the present state of the existing information and purposely does not address the process by which it was achieved. Their review includes information from all parties, being Hydro One, Stantec, G360 scientists, Enniskillen Environmental Association, the Conservation Authority, Clarington, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the Oak Ridges Moraine Groundwater Program. SLR staff conducted two site visits, attended one public meeting, and reviewed the 2017 Annual Montioring Report (by Stantec on behalf of Hydro One) on Clarington's behalf. No new well owner complaints were received in the reporting period. The results are outlined below, their more detailed report is Attachment 1. 2.2. The MOECC required a ground and surface water monitoring program . No significant adverse conditions were reported in the 2017 annual monitoring report. No requests to SLR from residents for interpretation or clarification were received. 2.3. As previously reported, the latter half of 2016 was very dry with very little groundwater recharge. These wells recovered with the wetter conditions in 2017, and no further well complaints were received by SLR. SLR reports that their previous conclusions that the water shortage was due to natural conditions and not the Transformer station have therefore been substantiated. 2.4. The G360 research group conducted further tritium sampling and analysis on local wells. They have found the presence of tritium (an indicator of age and not a contaminant) in the shallow wells as anticipated, and also in some but not all of the deeper wells. Some surficial contaminants like salt and short lived bacteria are also present at depth. This information points to a likelihood of insecure well casings. Dr. Cherry maintains that it could also be from a leaky aquitard, and has recommended further tritium testing in the aquitard, particularly on the site, as there are no private wells in the aquitard. CLOCA, through Dr. Gerber sampled the aquitard wells in the deep well cluster on site for tritium and found very little. These deep wells are scientifically constructed to preclude well leakage. SLR is of the opinion that the private well construction is the most likely mechanism and additionally cites the high difference in water pressures across the aquitard as a demonstration that vertical leakage through fractures is not very likely. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD -049-18 Page 4 2.5. In summary, SLR continues to maintain that the wells are not at risk from the Transformer Site . 3. Concurrence Not applicable. 4. Conclusion 4.1 The purpose of retaining a peer review consultant was to assist with understanding the technical information and to have an independent advisor monitor the practices and methodologies being employed during the construction of the Clarington Transformer Station. To date, the observations, recommendations and conclusions by SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd have required additional work by Hydro One and their consultants to demonstrate that the conclusions of the Environmental Assessment and Permit to Take Water are reasonable and conservative. 4.2 Council and residents were concerned for the safety of private residential wells in the vicinity of the transformer construction and Farewell Creek. The Clarington Transformer construction is now complete. The peer review consultant, Hydro One consultants and MOECC have concluded that the transformer construction is not putting residential wells at risk. 4.3 Much has been learned about the hydrogeology of the site over the past few years providing additional scientific knowledge for the G360 researchers, and the Oak Ridges Moraine Groundwater Program. 5. Strategic Plan Application Not applicable. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD -049-18 _7� --- Submitted by: 41 David J. Crome, MCIP, RPP Director of Planning Services Reviewed by: 5 Andrew Allison, B.Com, LL.B CAO Staff Contact: Faye Langmaid, Manager of Special Projects, 905-623-3379 ext. 2407 or flangmaid .clarington.net Attachments: Attachment 1 — Clarington Transformer Station Peer Review (circulated under separate cover) The following is a list of the interested parties to be notified of Council's decision: Brad Bowness, Hydro One Clint Cole, Enniskillen Environmental Association Drs. John Cherry and Beth Parker, G360, University of Guelph Dr. Rick Gerber, Oak Ridge Moraine Groundwater Program Chris Darling, CLOCA Steven Usher, SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd I:\^Department\LDO NEW FILING SYSTEM\PLN Files\PLN 26 Ontario Hydro\PLN 26.14.1 Hydro One Sub -Station, Clarington\peer review\Staff Reports\3. PSD-049-18\PSD- 049-18.docx