The Rural Voice, 2000-07, Page 24A\\FINANCIALFINANCIAL SERVICES INC.
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20 THE RURAL VOICE
selected through public meetings.
Funding through March 2001 was
obtained from the provincial govern-
ment, but Hartley said it is hoped
commercial partnerships will allow
the study to continue for five to 10
years. "Then the study will really
mean something," he said.
Consultants along with
researchers from the
University of Toronto and the
University of Waterloo will study the
role and function of the physical,
hydrological, hydrogeological and
ecological systems for the watershed
which feeds several major water sys-
tems in southwestern Ontario. The
data will be used to develop ground-
water management criteria.
Public education will take place
through local fall fairs and by work-
ing with school children. When it
comes to water supply, "it is the next
generation we have to worry about."
said Hartley.
Agriculture is Proactive
When the issue of water quality
arises, farm practices and nutrient
management inevitably comes up for
discussion. Members of OFEC host-
ed a briefing recently to outline the
proactive stewardship programs
undertaken by the agriculture sector.
OFEC, formed in 1991, initiated a
water quality working group in 1992
and a pilot project for environmental
farm plans a year later. Following
issues of nutrient loading of water in
Europe, OFEC took a proactive
approach, said Jack Wilkinson, presi-
dent of the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture and an OFEC member..
Michael Goss, chair of lands stew-
ardship at the University of Guelph
said that based on data which indi-
cates 50 per cent of water -borne dis-
eases on a world-wide scale are
derived from contaminated ground
water, there is reason to be concerned
for water quality, particularly for
farm families. Studies from 1992
showed one-third of wells contained
E. coli at some point during the year,
he added.
When some wells showed no con-
tamination, Goss said it was neces-
sary to discover why that occurs. It is
also important to note that deeper
wells are less likely to be contaminat-
ed, he said, but that does not mean
they would not be.
Research in 1997 looked at how
wells became contaminated and what