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W

ith all the attention that Walkerton and Shannon have brought to drinking water, it is worth evaluating where our water comes from. Most country homes get their water from a local source such as a surface well, a deep well, a spring or the lake. While some of the homes in the Ste-Agathe area are supplied by municipal aqueduct, there is evidently no shortage of chlorine in these systems. Private systems, however, are generally not monitored and can vary enormously with the quality of installation, the drainage of the terrain and the care they are given. For instance, when we sell a house we encourage the inspector to test the water quality. If it comes from a deep, or artesian, well it is usually fine. If it comes from the lake, the owners are generally aware of its quality and can produce water tests taken during the summer months. The deeper the intake valve is in the lake the more likely that the water will remain potable all year long, but the highest risk period is mid- to late-August when the water is warmest and the lake activities have reached their maximum. While surface wells are as good as deep wells in theory, there is more variance in the quality of installation of surface wells and they are more subject to cracks in the tiles or the cap. Most of the time these cracks or a poor installation of the tiles can be easily corrected, but usually when a well has cracks, it becomes contaminated. Private wells should be monitored carefully and, if they show a tendency to get contaminated, should be cleaned once every year or two.

Have your water checked by getting a sample bottle from Bio-Services in Ste- Agathe or at one of the pharmacies, and following the instructions that come with it. It is a simple precaution and the lab will contact you with the results. Cleaning and/or minor repairs will correct most problems. If there is a fecal coliform count, it could be more serious and may mean that a septic system is contaminating your ground water.

The problems being experienced in Walkerton and Shannon are not likely to happen here since we have neither industry nor agriculture; in fact we have some of the purist and most plentiful ground water in the world. Even most of our lakes, if left undisturbed, are likely to be perfectly potable.

Prepared in consultation with Bio-Services (1995) Inc., 180 Morin Blvd., Ste-Agathe-des- Monts, (819) 326-8690

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