Red Deer-area company fined $12,000 for Water Act violation

“The company was using water from an unlicensed water well for washing empty plastic totes at its intermediate bulk container reconditioning and recycling facility in Red Deer County. The water well could not be licenced for a commercial purpose because it drew from multiple aquifers, and so violated the Water Act.”

Of the fine, $11,500 will go toward the Canada WaterPortal Society to modernize its website and promote information about groundwater, particularly in Alberta and within the Red Deer watershed.

The other $500 is a victim fine surcharge.

The full agreed statement of facts and sentencing order can be found here.

According to the statement of facts, in 1996, prior to Enviro Container owning the site, a water well was drilled but never registered as a commercial water well. The company had not obtained proper licensing to use it, and began washing about 300 totes per day, commencing in October 2021.

They say that had the company applied for a license, one could not have been issued anyway, given the way the well was drilled and water was being drawn from multiple aquifers. In Alberta, a licensed commercial well may only draw from one source point, it says.

If you have information about a spill, release or emergency that could damage the environment, the province says, call 1-800-222-6514, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

by rdnewsNOW staff

Red Deer-area company fined $12,000 for Water Act violation

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