Mike Leshyk Says:
February 14th, 2009
The placement of the wind farm close to the shore and foregoing any environmental assessment could create a Walkerton like water problem in Toronto.
The proposed wind farm is to be installed in the shallow waters 2 to 4 km south of the Scarborough bluffs shoreline. The water is shallow here due to centuries of soil erosion of the Scarborough bluffs. It is this soil erosion and the strong east to west lake Ontario water current that created the Leslie Street spit and the Toronto Islands. The main water intake for the R.C. Harris water treatment plant is located 2.6 KM off shore. This location is right in the line between the proposed wind farm and the westward moving lake Ontario water current.
Construction activity will no doubt disturb the lake bed from dredging and drill activities. Construction debris from the barges, equipment and materials such as diesel fuel residue, cement residue, welding debris, and other materials associated with the construction of these industrial machines will unavoidably be discharged into the water. All of this material will be pushed by the water current toward the R.C. Harris water intake. This water treatment plant provides approximately 45% of Toronto’s drinking water.
The R.C Harris water treatment plant was built over 60 years ago. It was not designed to treat the additional materials and toxins introduced by construction/dreadging activity right next to the water intakes. The normal process for wind farm installations in Ontario is to forego an environmental assessment.
To date all wind power installations in Ontario (approximately 17) have been installed without an environmental assessment. This project needs an environment assessment. The drinking water of millions of people could be adversely affected.
