MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - McDougal Flats residents worried about water diversion from the local aquifer to a well fracking project north of Highway 584 taking place this month should voice their concerns with the minister of Environment and Protected Areas, says reeve Angela Aalbers.
“I think our residents are very informed as to the channels where they would direct their issues and complaints, so I’m sure if they have complaints they will be going directly to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas,” said Aalbers.
The province has issued a temporary diversion licence for the transfer of water from a gravel pit pond in the McDougal Flats area of the county to the well site at 16-35-33-6. A water pipeline has been laid in ditches along the 22 kilometre route.
Fracking involves the injection of water under high pressure into wells which breaks up the formation and allows oil and/gas to flow more freely.
Murray Griffin is a McDougal Flats resident. He calls the removal of drinking water from the local aquifer wholly unacceptable.
“There’s a lot of people out here who have shallow wells, only 40 feet deep or so, and if they take that much water out, I’m afraid there are a bunch of wells that are going to go dry,” Griffin told the Albertan.
“That’s right in middle of the aquifer and the water table is very low as it is.”
Griffin says he was told by a company representative that about six million gallons, or about 25,000 cubic metres, of water will be taken from the aquifer for the fracking project.
“Why are they using drinking water instead of river water? To take fresh water that is our drinking water, and even the Town of Sundre’s drinking water, and pour it down the well when they could be taking it from the river, I’ve got a real problem with it,” he said.
“There has to be a little morality in the country to not put people in stress like this, I would think. I don’t want to see this happen.”
Griffin says several of his neighbours are also concerned with the water removal from the local aquifer.
Mountain View County has issued a road use agreement for the project, which allows for the water pipeline to be placed in county ditches.
“Water pipelines are allowed under the county’s road use agreements with industry,” said Jeff Holmes, county chief administrative officer. “In many situations water lines are preferred over truck hauls as there is less damage to road infrastructure, and less impact on public traffic.
“All approvals for drilling wells and use of water for fracking operations are approved by the provincial government, and provincial approvals must be in place before the county will enter into a road use agreement for placement of water lines in the road right of way.”
For her part, reeve Angela Aalbers says the municipality has no say in the issuance of water diversion licences.
“The total water that will come out of the aquifer is all under provincial jurisdiction,” said Aalbers.
“They issue the temporary diversion licence and they don’t engage with the municipality at all. We leave that to the jurisdiction of Alberta Environment and they determine what the aquifer can and cannot sustain.”
Asked if she is concerned that fresh water is being diverted from the aquifer to oil and gas operations, she said, “I think there’s always a concern from the public that fresh water is being used for fracking. However it is a provincial jurisdiction and there really isn’t anything that the municipality can do about.
“We have to be confident that the issuance of this temporary diversion licence was also part of the consideration of the Minister of Environment and Protected Areas when she is looking at drought mitigations.”
A call to Tourmaline Oil, the company undertaking the project, was not immediately returned.
