Pauzé Dump Site in Compliance So Far
Since 2007 the local company that owns the Pauzé Dump Site, which lies about a kilometer east of County Road 6 and just north of Concession Road 9, has been under a Ministry of the Environment Director’s Order. This is so, because the MoE’s November 2006 Ground Water Quality Review in the vicinity of the landfill concluded that a leachate plume continues to migrate from the Pauzé landfill and is impacting on groundwater quality down gradient of the landfill.
During the 1970s, the landfill accepted liquid industrial wastes that so polluted ground water and wells in Perkinsfield that a water system had to be installed in the village. The dump was closed in 1987.
The Director’s Order issued in May, 2007 required the company that owns the property to retain a consultant and to provide the Ministry with a groundwater monitoring plan for the site. A consultant was retained and a monitoring plan accepted by the MoE. The monitoring plan involves taking samples from monitoring wells near the dumpsite, last fall and again this fall. The owner is in compliance with the requirements of the order.
The groundwater monitoring results will provide current groundwater quality information that will be used to determine, if necessary, the next steps to address potential impacts to area water resources off the Pauzé closed landfill site.
Over the years, the MoE has tracked plumes of toxic chemicals spreading west and south from the dumpsite, with analysis of well samples at the leading edge showing the chemicals gradually decaying and getting diluted as they spread and move.
We will report on the results of this fall’s monitoring when they are released.