Summary of Public Information Centre No. 1
Public consultation is a key element to the success of any Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) study. Public Information Centres (PICs) are typically used in Class EA studies as a consultation tool, to provide a platform for information exchange between interested stakeholders and the project team.
Two (2) PIC sessions are planned as part of the Class EA study being undertaken to plan for Additional Groundwater Supply for the Inglewood Groundwater-based Drinking Water System, in the Town of Caledon. In addition to the PICs, an Environmental Study Report (ESR), documenting the planning and decision-making process followed in the Class EA study, and the proposed recommendations, will be prepared at the end of the study and made available for a 30-day public review period.
PIC Purpose and Notifications
The purpose of PIC 1 was to introduce the project, present the problem/opportunity statement and preliminary assessment results, the next steps in the study, and gather public feedback on the information presented.
The first PIC was held in-person at the Inglewood Community Centre on June 20, 2024, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Notification of the PIC was made through issuance of a “Notice of Study Commencement and Public Information Centre #1”, in the local newspaper, the Caledon Citizen, on two (2) consecutive publications on June 13th and June 20th, 2024. Copies of the notice were mailed and/or emailed to those on the project mailing list, including review agencies, indigenous communities, and residents. A mobile sign was also placed at the Inglewood Firehall to advertise the PIC and a copy of the notice was posted on the Region’s webpage in advance of the meeting:
Format and Information Material
The format of PIC 1 was a drop-in centre with display panels. Project team members including Peel Staff and members from the consultant team, CIMA+, were available to speak one-on-one with the public.
Peel Region
Erin Ihnat, Project Manager
Luis Lasso, Program Manager, Water Resources Planning
Therese Estephan, Advisor, Source Water Protection
Ryan Gulyas, Senior Capital Acquisition Agent, Real Estate Rebecca Smart, Water and Wastewater Technical Studies Specialist
Bharathi Murali, Project Manager, Engineering – Water Treatment and Facilities
CIMA+ (Lead Consultant)
Sandra Rodriguez, Project Manager Maham Azam, Engineering Trainee
GeoKamp Limited (Sub-Consultant)
Bruce Hietkamp, Project Hydrogeologist
The PIC 1 meeting materials available included:
- Display panels, including information about the project using both text and visuals.
- Comments Sheets for the meeting participants to provide comments, suggestions or questions about the project and/or the Class EA Study process. Meeting attendees were encouraged to fill out the Comment Sheet.
- Online Comment Forms were also available on the project website between June 20th, 2024 and July 5th, 2024.
The public meeting information material was posted on the Region’s webpage after PIC 1.
Comments and Questions
The meeting event was attended by 11 residents. One (1) Comment Sheet was completed at the session and left on the comment box. Additional comments, also from residents, were received following the PIC via email and the online Comment Form.
Table 1 summarizes the comments received from the residents and the responses provided by the Project Team.
Table 1: Summary of PIC 1 Comments and Responses
| Date/Form of Contact | Comments/Questions | Responses |
|---|---|---|
2024-June-13 | Interest in sharing the information with the Cheltenham residents’ group. | On June 17, 2024, Project Team indicated via email agreement to share the information about the PIC and the test well drilling project with the Cheltenham residents’ group. Details about the PIC, including its date, time, location, and drop-in format were also provided. |
2024-June-19 | Inquired about the impact of the project on their local well water supply, located near Site K. Requested to be included in the project contact list and suggested using additional notification methods beyond the Caledon Citizen, as many neighbors were unaware of the PIC. Asked for a written record of the meeting since they cannot attend. | Project Team responded on June 21, 2024 via email noting that extensive groundwater and surface water monitoring was conducted during the 2015 pumping test at Site K and a summary of the monitoring results will be shared via email. Links to the presentation materials and the project website for further information were provided, and the contact was added to the project contact list. A memo outlining the comprehensive monitoring results from the 2015 pumping tests at Site K was emailed on July 11, 2024. |
2024-June-20 In-person at PIC 1 | Concerns about potential noise from equipment if a water treatment plant is constructed in the area. | Project team informed about options like sound attenuation and acoustic assessment which can be considered at the preliminary and detailed design phases. |
2024-June-20 In-person at PIC 1 | Requested monitoring results for their property, monitored during the 2022 pumping test at Site 6. | Project Team responded on August 9, 2024, via email, confirming that no significant interference was observed in local domestic wells or surface water supplies near the test well at Site 6 (Test well TW2-21) during the 2022 pumping test. A memo outlining the comprehensive water level monitoring results obtained at the resident’s property near Site 6 was also included. |
2024-June-20 In-person at PIC 1 | Requested any monitoring results available for their property near Site 6. | Project Team responded on August 13, 2024, via email, informing the resident that their well was not monitored during the 2022 pumping test of the test well at Site 6 (TW2-21). However, the residents well had previously been monitored in 2017 during a two-day combined test pumping of Inglewood wells #3 and #4 and a proposed irrigation well for Kaneff. A memo outlining the comprehensive water level monitoring results for the residents well obtained during the 2017 pumping test was shared. Based on the 2017 pumping test results and extrapolation of the 2022 pumping test of TW2-21, no significant interference with local domestic wells or surface water supplies is expected at Site 6. |
2024-June-20 PIC 1 Comment Form | Appreciated the display panels at the PIC and requested online access to the materials. Expressed agreement with the shortlisted alternatives (Alternative 5: Increase Capacity through addition of New Infrastructure to the Inglewood DWS and Alternative 6a: Interconnection to Cheltenham Water Distribution System) and interconnection to the lake-based distribution system not being recommended, as it would lead to a huge development pressure in Inglewood. | No response from the Project Team necessary. Resident was added to project contact list. |
2024-June-25 | Question about accessibility of project documents for public review and sought clarification on the "supply capacity" goals, noting the need for redundancy and changes in the number of wells over time. Also requested to be included in future updates and notices regarding the project via email. | Project team responded on July 2, 2024, via email, explaining that the study is evaluating water supply needs to meet future water demands in Inglewood up to the year 2051 and the term supply capacity goals refers to a need for increased water supply capacity and system redundancy. Currently, the system has two wells within the same aquifer along Hurontario St. and the water is treated at a common treatment plant. Additional capacity will improve the security of water supply and provide additional operational redundancy. A link to the project website was shared and encouraged the resident to review PIC materials and provide feedback. Resident was added to project contact list. |
2024-July-04 Online PIC1 Comment Form | Question about repeating the 2015 pumping test to validate older data. Inquired about impact on 40 plus houses in the vicinity of the test well using private wells, if the Region will guarantee the availability of water, should Site K be chosen, or pay for the connections of houses to the regional system or for drilling of deeper wells if required. | Project Team responded on July 11, 2024, via email, indicating that a new pumping test and additional comprehensive monitoring will be conducted only for the preferred well test location, to be selected in the EA study. It was further explained that a thorough investigation related to groundwater interference, impacts on private well users/natural environment and mitigation measures will be undertaken as part of the Permit to Take Water (PTTW) application. The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) will not authorize groundwater supply takings with any adverse impacts. A memo outlining the comprehensive monitoring results from the 2015 pumping tests at Site K was also included. |
2024-July-04 Online PIC1 Comment Form | Informed about occasional water shortage episodes in their area near Site K and inquired about the impacts of a new well on water availability. | Project Team responded on July 11, 2024, via email, indicating that a new pumping test and additional comprehensive monitoring will be conducted if Site K is selected as the preferred option. A thorough investigation related to groundwater interference, impacts on private well users/natural environment and mitigation measures and will be undertaken as part of the PTTW application process. The MECP will not authorize groundwater supply takings with any adverse impacts. A memo outlining the comprehensive monitoring results from the pumping tests at both sites (Site K and Site 6) was also included. |
2024-July-04 Online PIC1 Comment Form | Inquired about the method for determining and communicating influence areas for the test wells to the public, as well as potential impacts of pipeline installation along the roads. Suggested the following aspects be considered during the evaluation and selection of the preferred solution:
| Project Team responded on September 12, 2024, via email, explaining that the aquifer performance tests at Site K (TWK-15) and Site 6 (TW2-21) involved a 72-hour pumping test to assess well performance and potential impacts on local wells and the environment. Although production wells typically operate for 8 hours a day, the exaggerated testing conditions (higher pumping rate and duration) was necessary for fire protection needs. A monitoring program tracked interference within 500 meters of the test wells and environmental features identified by the Credit Valley Conservation Authority. The tests showed no significant impact on local wells. If one of the test sites is selected for a new supply well, additional testing will be conducted. All reports are reviewed by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to ensure no adverse effects on local water users or surface features before permits are issued. The preferred location for a new supply well will be selected as part of this Class EA study. New Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPAs) will be delineated once the location of a new supply well is confirmed. In terms of the pipelines, it was explained that the routing for the supply lines will be confirmed once the preferred well site location is selected. At this point, it is assumed that pipeline installation is to occur within the existing roads right-of-way. The exact alignment of the pipelines will be finalized during the detailed design phase of the project. The appropriate pipeline installation methodologies and construction standards will be employed to ensure the health and safety of all involved and minimizing impacts to the surrounding area, as much as possible. The recommended aspects to be considered in the project are already captured in the evaluation process and will be examined. |