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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2016-01-20, Page 9Have your say about source water protection plans Scott Dunn Postmedia Network The public will have its say at two meetings in February about proposed policies to guard against possible fuel - spill threats to municipal water intakes in Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. That piece of the Source Protection Plan was held back for more study after some municipalities raised concerns about the short time to comment and the proposed prohibition of some activities. The local plan, one of 19 across the province, adds an extra layer of protec- tion by ensuring municipal drink- ing water sources are protected before water is drawn and subject to disinfec- tion or other treatment. The local plan covers watersheds of the Saugeen Valley and Grey Sauble conservation areas and those of North- ern Bruce Peninsula. It was approved by the Ministry of Environment and Cli- mate Change Oct. 16. The polices come into effect July 1. Proposed policies include restric- tions on how much fuel can be stored near water intakes and in some cases require risk management plans, which include how fuel handling would be done to avoid spills and what would be done if spills couldn't be contained. Source protection project manager Carl Seider said the closer to the intake and the more fuel being stored, the more restrictions are proposed. In Owen Sound, for example, no large, new marinas with fuel storage above a certain threshold would be allowed, he said. Members of a municipal working group recognized there were "some higher risk areas that were right on the water, where they all felt the same way, that they wanted to keep those limits low, of how much fuel could be stored," Seider said. Farther back from the water, permit- ted limits increase significantly, he said. But the plan also allows existing opera- tions to expand or relocate elsewhere on the water if it is done safely. "These limits, they're different for the different municipalities," he said. The advisory group, which included municipal politicians and water opera- tors from Georgian Bluffs, Kincardine, Lion's Head, Meaford, Owen Sound, Southampton, Thornbury and Wiarton, worked with source protection staff to come up with the redrafted policies. "That went a long way I think to refine them so that they were a little more I'd say flexible and reasonable when it comes to addressing fuel threats to municipal water intakes," Seider said. The proposed policies will be reviewed again after the public input is received, then submitted at the end of March to the provincial government for approval. All affected municipal coun- cils must give their blessings to the poli- cies, Seider said. Many of the risk management requirements in the plan are already required under other government authority, Seider said. But the source protection plan includes a mechanism to help speed up action to address risks to source water, he said. It requires municipalities to inspect identified source water risks and for negotiations with landowners to take steps to reduce risks. Conserva- tion authorities can be delegated to do that work, and new provincial funding is anticipated for it, he said. Other plan policies have been updated concerning snow storage in areas where municipal water systems draw from groundwater. When snow is pushed into piles such as in parking lots, it may be contami- nated to some degree with fuels or salt, Seider said. The amounts of snow stor- age are proposed to increase from lim- its in the approved plan, depending on proximity to a wellhead and whether its stored below grade, such as in a pit, where it would be closer to the groundwater. Snow piles of between a tennis court and hockey rink in size, if stored at grade, would require source water risk management plans. Another new part of the plan con- cerns what has been determined to be an inadequate quantity of well water serving residents around Lake Rosalind, in Brockton near Hanover, Seider said. A working group was formed and a technical study undertaken. Though it doesn't count as a contamination threat, water quantity is one of 21 things listed in the plan. "With this information, then the municipality of Brockton can now pro- ceed with looking at alternate water sources or solutions to increase the supply. And if there were other water takings or activities that are affecting those groundwater source(s), there can also be limits placed on those water takings," Seider said. Copies of the draft policies and related documents have been distrib- uted to affected landowners. Written comments will be accepted until Feb. 29 at 4:30 p.m. E-mailed comments may be sent to mail@waterprotection. ca. The public meetings will give people a chance to view documents and maps which show where the potential threats are, ask questions and provide feedback. The first meeting will take place Wednesday, Feb. 3 at the Grey Sauble Conservation Office at 237897 Inglis Falls Rd in Georgian Bluffs. The second meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 9 in Rotary Hall at The Plex, 600 Tomlinson Dr. in Port Elgin. Both meetings will run from 4 to 7 p.m. A snow date, if needed, is set for Thursday, Feb. 18 at the Conservation Authority office. Wednesday, January 20, 2016 • Huron Expositor 9 Life doesn't end when Alzheimer's begins Galen Simmons Postmedia Network Life doesn't end when Alzhei- mer's begins. People living with dementia can continue to par- ticipate in life and contribute to their communities in their own way, even as the disease pro- gresses, the Perth County Alz- heimer Society stated in a recent Alzheimer>s Awareness Month press release. "My husband is a greeter at our local church. But people ask me all the time, <How can he do that, he has Alzheimer's?>" These compelling words are from Cathy, 53, who has been caring for her husband Boz for the past three years since he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's dis- ease. It's this kind of negative attitude that the Alzheimer Soci- ety wants to change with its new #StillHere campaign, which kicked off on Jan. 5 for Alzhei- mer Awareness Month. Yet, that's not the view of most Canadians who, according to a new Nanos survey, are divided about whether someone with dementia can live well. While women were slightly more posi- tive than men, the survey found 47 per cent of respondents, aged 18 and older, disagree compared with 47 per cent who agree. "Words and actions are pow- erful and can change the story of dementia. That's the goal of our campaign, to dispel the myths around what it means to live with dementia and encourage all of us to see the person beyond the condition," says Mimi Lowi-Young, the CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. More than 747,000 Canadians Galen slmmonsiivuicneu Aavocate In recognition of Alzheimer's Awareness Month in January, West Perth Mayor Walter McKenzie and Sheri Gilhula, the public education coordinator for the Alzheimer Society of Perth County, performed the ceremonial Alzheimer Society flag raising in the council chambers before the Dec. 21 West Perth council meeting. are living with Alzheimer>s dis- ease and other dementias - a number which is expected to increase to 1.4 million in the next 15 years. Dementia costs the Canadian economy $33 bil- lion per year, and by 2040 that price tag is expected to reach $293 billion per year. While age is the biggest factor for dementia and the risk of developing dementia doubles every five years after age 65, it also occurs in people in their 50s, 40s and even in their 30s. Dementia is fatal and it>s causes are not fully known. There is still no cure or effective treatment to prevent or reverse the disease. Recognizing that a diagnosis of dementia doesn't rob some- one of their individuality or their feelings goes a long way towards respecting and engaging people with this disease and preserving their identity. Pia Kontos, a senior scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute -University Health Net- work, who has spent most of her career challenging perceptions of dementia, agrees. "Our cogni- tive abilities alone do not define us. People with dementia can continue to engage with the world in many other meaningful ways. And supporting their dig- nity and worth improves their well-being and quality of life." There are many ways to get involved with our #StillHere campaign at www.alzheimer.ca/ stillhere: • Watch a 30 -second video and share it with others • Complete an online quiz to help us build a picture of public perceptions • Read personal stories from peo- ple living with dementia, and share your own experience ATTENTION ADVERTISERS! DEADLINES Our Weekly Deadlines are as follows: ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL rNuron Expositor Friday @ 2:00 pm OFFICE HOURS: Mon. - Thurs. 9am - 5pm • Fri. 8am - 4pm CLOSED TUESDAYS 8 Main St., Seaforth PH: 519-527-0240 f www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com