News Release

Groundwater Collector Well for the City of Kamloops Clears Federal Environment Review

OTTAWA, January 30, 2001 - Environment Minister David Anderson today announced the approval of the environmental assessment for a plan to construct and operate a groundwater collector well in the City of Kamloops, British Columbia. With this approval, the municipality is a step closer to having a reliable emergency source of quality water to supplement the City Central Water Supply System.

Minister Anderson has concluded that the groundwater collector well project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects provided that the mitigation measures identified in the environmental assessment report are implemented. The Minister has referred the project back to the responsible authority, Western Economic Diversification Canada, for appropriate action.

Minister Anderson made his determination on the project based on a consideration of the following:

• the environmental assessment report submitted by Western Economic Diversification Canada;
• public comments received during the consultation on the environmental assessment report and the responsible authority's response to them; and
• the implementation of mitigation measures and a follow-up program described in the report and supporting documents.

A follow-up program will be implemented to monitor the ongoing effectiveness of mitigation measures.

The City of Kamloops groundwater collector well project was subject to a comprehensive study as set out in regulations under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

The main components of the project include: the construction, development and test pumping of a groundwater collector well; the construction of a pumphouse with disinfection and fluoridation systems; the construction of a water main to connect the well to the existing water distribution system, and; the connection of the facility to the nearest electrical power line. The new well is designed to withdraw 40,000 to 48,000 m³/day of groundwater from the aquifer.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is a federal agency reporting directly to the Minister of the Environment. Environmental assessment is a planning tool used to identify possible adverse effects of development projects on the environment, and recommend measures to reduce or eliminate these effects.

For more information, please contact:

Johanne Beaulieu
Press Secretary
Minister of the Environment
Telephone: (819) 997-1441

William McCullough
Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Telephone: (819) 997-3071
Fax: (819) 953-2891
email: william.mccullough@ceaa-acee.gc.ca