Contaminated water flowed from Ucar site in 2019
Up to 200,000 litres went into Welland Recreational Canal
A power failure on the former Ucar property in 2019 led to 175,000 to 200,000 litres of contaminated water flowing into the Welland Recreational Canal from an emergency outlet.
Tuesday, Steve Charest, president and chief executive officer of the King and Benton Group of Companies, told city council the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks was immediately called.
Charest said the power failure took place in a pumphouse near the guardhouse on 65 Canal Bank and water was building up.
He told council a worker on site called him and site consultants.
“We called the ministry. We weren’t sure what was going on with the power or when it would be reinstated.”
Council heard the ministry, city, Niagara Region and Welland Hydro all came on site.
“We didn’t realize until after the fact that there was an emergency outlet that was on the site that was subject to an Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA).”
The Environment Ministry website says an ECA applies to businesses with complex or unique types of operations such as landfill sites or wastewater treatment plants. It lays out conditions that must be met to keep the environment safe.
Charest said the outlet was monitored by King and Benton staff on site and the ministry allowed it to function as intended.
The outlet was then plugged up and is no longer in use, and hasn’t been required to be used.
“The site has been functioning as intended since that event.”
Ward 5 Coun. Graham Speck said a staff report showed there was runoff from the site in 2021 and 2022.
“In these other instances were there any reports drawn up by the ministry regarding these subsequent events?” Speck asked.
Charest explained the company learned about various intakes and outlets from the former industrial site and when it plugged them, that caused issues with flooding across Canal Bank toward the recreational canal.
He said when Ucar was operational the road was sloped toward the property to take advantage of infrastructure on site.
Some roadwork in 2014 saw the road slope away from the former plant.
King and Benton set up berms along the fence line to prevent
water from ponding on and crossing the road.
Charest said with some minor work on the city side, that issue could be resolved.
Chief administrative officer Steve Zorbas said ground and surface water on the site is monitored by the ministry. When there is runoff from the site, city staff make both the landowner and ministry aware, he said, adding the ministry also has timelines and conditions on the site that have to be met concerning the ground and surface water.
Sherri-Marie Millar, director of infrastructure services, said the city has discussed its concerns with the property owner’s consultant and said an additional catch basin in the area could improve things.
Ward 4 Coun. Bryan Green asked why the flooding incidents had not brought to council’s attention.
Zorbas said they were operational issues and the city provided comments to the ministry about them, much like it does on other sites across Welland.
The city meets regularly with the ministry.
Zorbas said councillors requested a report on the site, and that was what was before them Tuesday.
Asked if the runoff water from the various incidents was tested, Millar said it was not.
She said the city knows the property is contaminated and the ministry requires surface and groundwater testing and a stormwater management plan as well.