| WELL AWARE
Well Aware encourages Ontario’s
residential well owners to protect their
wells and our common groundwater
supplies. Well Aware is a project of
Green Communities Canada and has
received funding support from the
Ontario Ministry of the Environment.
Locally, the program is delivered by
EcoSuperior and supported by the City of
Thunder Bay and Thunder Bay District
Health Unit. You can find more details
at
www.wellaware.ca
Well Aware visits for 2008 are over. Bookings for the 2009 season will be available in the new year.
This year 48 rural households took advantage of our free Well Aware home visit service, taking part in guided self-assessments with our trained water guides. All those who participated in the program had their names entered in a draw to win a dual-flush toilet installed by Axels Water & Plumbing Centre.
 
Ann Marie Stone & Jane Oldale (left picture), Ann Marie Stone & Axel Rehfuhs (right picture)
The lucky winner of the water-conserving toilet is Ann Marie Stone, pictured here with Water Guide Jane Oldale. Low-flush toilets are great for rural households relying on well water. Reducing water use not only conserves well water, but it is better for septic systems and saves energy used to pump water too.
HOME VISITS:
GUIDED SELF-ASSESSMENTS
Well Aware home visits, conducted by
trained Water Guides, help rural well
owners identify priorities for action to
protect their drinking water source.
The visits, which are voluntary,
confidential, and non-regulatory, guide
well owners through a self-assessment to
help identify and address potential
risks to their well water.
The service takes about 2 hours, and all
information provided during the visit
remains confidential. EcoSuperior
supplies a written report and
recommendations, water testing sample
bottles from the Public Health
Laboratory (Ontario Ministry of Health)
and a set of Well Aware drinking
glasses. The City of Thunder Bay also
provides a water conservation kit for
wells within the city.
The service includes recommendations on
well maintenance and upgrading, water
testing, properly sealing unused wells,
water conservation, septic system
management, safe housecleaning products,
and yard naturalization.
The Water Guide can provide solutions to
individual concerns and troubleshoot
specific well and septic problems as
well as help well owners understand when
they need to call a licensed well
contractor for repairs or upgrading.
Guided Self Assessments are available
FREE* of charge to rural residents of
the City of
Thunder Bay,
as well as the following townships:
Shuniah, Gorham, Ware, Oliver Paipoonge,
Neebing, Gillies, Conmee, and O’connor.
* Mileage fees apply but may be
waived if you sign up a neighbour on the
same day.
To schedule an appointment, please
contact EcoSuperior at 624-2140.
FREE
INFORMATION KITS
Well owners can pick up a helpful
information kit free of charge from our
office at 212 Miles Street East, between
May and Simpson. The kit includes:
-
Well Aware booklet - a 30-page guide
to caring for your well
-
information on water testing
-
a list of local licensed well
contractors
-
Your Septic System booklet
-
Information on water conservation,
rural water stewardship, and safe
housecleaning products
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