Alberta government vindicates Red Deer County of alleged private water well contamination

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The conversation began in late 2019 when Border Paving expressed their desire to begin extracting gravel on a parcel of their land in the Delburne area.

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Residents Jody and Chad Young, living roughly 165 metres away from the proposed site, vocalized against the plan that would require a Land Use Bylaw to include the parcel into the Gravel Extraction Overlay District.

In August 2022, Alberta Health Services discovered that the Youngs’ domestic water well was contaminated with lead and other harsh minerals. The Youngs claimed the cause was from existing nearby gravel pits, which include the County’s Lozynski Pit, Border Paving (Young), Border Paving (Totem), JT Setters (Hanniford), and the Hansen Pit.

READ: Alberta investigates family’s lead-contaminated water well near gravel mine

During a public hearing on June 27, a Hydrogeological report by Tagish Engineering was presented stating the contamination was instead caused by over-pumping of the nearby water well that allegedly was not meant to supply water for domestic use since its inception.

The County still rejected Border Paving’s application.

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AEPA confirmed that while reports are not publicly available, a summary of the assessment was provided directly to the homeowners and to Red Deer County, along with links to resources that can help ensure better operation and maintenance of the well going forward.

“EPA takes well water quality issues seriously. In this case, department experts conducted a thorough investigation regarding reported issues with well water quality on the property, including testing water samples,” the EPA said in a statement.

“In summary, it is our conclusion that the well is not affected by the gravel operations nearby and that well construction characteristics and over-pumping of a low yield well caused the lead and aluminum issues previously reported. EPA’s Working Well program offers workshops and resources for private water well owners to support proper construction, operation and maintenance of their water wells.

“We are committed to supporting healthy water and responsible development throughout the province.”

Mayor Jim Wood said he was pleased to hear the results of AEPA’s assessment and expressed his support for the County’s administration. He says they continue to work within provincial guidelines to responsibly source gravel.

“I appreciate that County operations understand the importance of sustainable development and caring for the environment, chief amongst this is following the rules,” he said.