Black Diamond Landowner say river at Risk

By Laurel Nadon
Staff reporter
Okotoks Western Wheel
August 24, 2005 Vol. 30 no. 55

Resident wants gas plant closed to protect water supply

The jar full of yellow, petroleum-smelling water, which Linda Abrams passed around at Black Diamond town council’s meeting on Aug. 17, proved her point.
The point was that she feels council needs to take action and understand what is heading their way in the Sheep River.
Abrams collected the water that same afternoon from a drainage ditch north of the Turner Valley Gas Plant. She noted similar water is also in the beaver pond, across from the town wells.
“It’s coming from underground, that’s what I think is the most disturbing part,” Abrams said. “I think town council should probably be aware of what’s flowing toward us.”
She said she doesn’t think the province should spend money on cleaning up the site, but instead should remove all traces of the gas plant from the location.
“I’ve been pushing for total disclosure and to get a total, back-to-nature clean up. They’ve done it in other communities, I’m not sure why they refuse to do it in this one,” Abrams said. “Communities need that water. When this stuff is obviously flowing toward the river, that is a big concern.”
She said she brought a sample to the Okotoks Health and Wellness Centre, where she was told they wouldn’t test the water because it wasn’t drinking water. She has since sent samples to the University of Calgary and a private lab in Ontario.
“The big concern is for drinking water. The town wells are on the river,” Abrams said, noting that while Turner Valley’s wells are upstream from the gas plant, Black Diamond’s and Okotoks’ wells are downstream.
She said she’s also concerned that Alberta Environment says the low level of hydrocarbons, found at the site recently, is safe.
“What’s your definition for okay? I don’t see Community Development down here drinking this stuff,” Abrams said.
She said there are extremely high incidents of multiple sclerosis and brain cancer in the area, which she ties back to contaminants in the water.
“They don’t want us to get upset. A lot of people just don’t want to know,” Abrams said. “It’s a bigger picture than what your property is worth. It’s what your grandkids can look forward to.”
Abrams has requested copies of water testing done in the town from Jan. 1, 2005 to the present.
Administrative assistant Joanne Irwin said they’re staying on top of their test results and are also receiving results from Alberta Environment.
“She (Abrams) wants to be sure the town is taking the situation seriously, which of course we are,” Irwin said.