Well-ness check

As noted in last year’s Annual Report, we received complaints from residents of Chatham-Kent who were concerned about the quality of their well water and were having difficulty obtaining information about it from the Ministry of Health.

As noted in last year’s Annual Report, we received complaints from residents of Chatham-Kent who were concerned about the quality of their well water and were having difficulty obtaining information about it from the Ministry of Health. We were told the Ministry had not responded to requests from residents and the municipality to conduct further testing on their wells, despite a 2019 government report recommending more sampling and study of water quality.

RESULT: The Ministry acknowledged the lack of timely communication with residents on its part. As a result of our intervention, it provided written responses to the concerned parties to explain its analysis of the government’s report and the reasons for its decision not to perform additional tests, including that the data showed that there were no widespread health concerns. The Ministry also provided referrals to well owners containing guidance on well maintenance.