Some west Saint Johners are turning to the province’s integrity commissioner as they try to access public documents about their new water source.
The West Side Ratepayers Association filed an application with Alexandre Deschênes on May 23 asking that “all public documents related to the South Bay wellfield be released without delay.”
Association chair Paul Groody says the city has refused to release water quality data collected and the province has delayed releasing the environmental impact assessment that was done.
“We think every west sider has a right to know the facts about the environmental impact assessment, has a right to know the facts about the quality of their drinking water,” Groody said at a news conference Monday.
Since the switchover in September, the association says residents have experienced a “virtual epidemic” of plumbing failures, as well as water heater failures and skin rashes.
West Side Ratepayers Association wants the province’s integrity commissioner to order the release of public documents related to the South Bay wellfield in #SaintJohn. Includes water quality data collected by the city, the province’s environmental impact assessment. pic.twitter.com/1Ebra0I8fi
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) May 28, 2018
Groody says west siders are suffering and they need this information to assure them the water is safe.
Asked if the documents may contain details that would raise red flags, Groody says he hesitates to speculate.
“When something is kept secret, it always makes one wonder, but we don’t want to speculate,” he says. “We want to know the facts and we want to get those facts to the public.
Some have joined a class-action lawsuit against the city, but Groody says their association isn’t part of it.
The group wants to work with the city to address concerns and find a solution rather than laying blame, but Groody says that’s hard to do when council refuses to speak with them.
Our newsroom has reached out to the City of Saint John for comment.
