Should wells within 2km become contaminated, new wells will be drilled. Why? Wouldn't the new wells eventually become contaminated also? Is bottled water the more probable means of a solution to this? What about wells outside of 2km? They, too, are at risk, especially if an unplanned event happens. There are several older homes that have very old wells- the age of these wells may put them at higher risk of contamination- what measures will be in place regarding wells pre-1994? (Some of these wells are from the early 1900's). Shouldn't these older wells be given more consideration? I argue that older wells are at a higher risk of receiving contamination.

While Hammond River Holdings is confident that residents’ wells will not be affected, we understand that this is a sensitive topic to those in the area. We are committed to monitoring for changes in water quality or quantity and it is challenging to accurately predict if changes were to occur, to what extent those changes would occur, or the appropriate responses to be implemented, until those conditions are observed.

Although the EIA Registration document reports 12 wells within a 2 km radius of the site, it also states that these records are only for those maintained by the New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government (NBDELG) and that those records are limited to wells drilled after 1994.  All residents or facilities with wells within a 2 km radius, regardless of whether they are in the NBDELG database, will be provided the opportunity to have their well details documented and a baseline water sample taken prior to undertaking the Project, if they so choose. In resident visits that have already started, the offer of baseline and ongoing sampling has been made to residents as part of those sit-down conversations on many wells that are older than 1994.

Response measures to be undertaken in the unlikely event of a change in water quantity or quality in nearby wells would depend on the nature and extent of the observed changes to those wells.  For example, if a change were to occur in a nearby well due to the project, it would be most likely to be a change in water quantity, as opposed to a change in water quality(since there is no transformation on-site that could lead to threats to water quality).  If a change in well yield were to occur, some possible response measures include provision of water, identification of an alternative water supply, deepening of an existing well, drilling of a new well, or other measures.  If a change in water quality were to occur (e.g., increasing water hardness) due to the gypsum resource, installation of a water softener could be a possible solution.   This would be determined by testing of well water before the project and water testing following the potential operation of the quarry.

The Project is in a topographic divide whereby precipitation is draining to the west into the Hammond River, and as such, the Hammond River and topography provide a natural hydrogeological barrier.  Beyond this barrier, the effects of the Project are unlikely to be distinguishable from current normal conditions.