About 60 people gathered in the Chauvin Elks Hall on Wednesday evening February 13 to hear what is being done about a herbicide that has entered the village’s drinking water supply. Village councillors and Mayor Jack Goodall (at front table) along with Jock McIntosh of Alberta Environment (standing) and representatives from Dow AgroSciences responded to concerns from the local citizens. ©Star Chronicle Photo.
Chauvin residents have noticed for several years that they can’t grow certain garden plants.
Alberta Environment pesticide specialist Jock McIntosh says he has traced the problem to the herbicide Picloram in the village’s drinking water.
Picloram, which is the active ingredient in Torodon and Grazon, has been found in two wells in the community.
McIntosh said the level of the herbicide in the water was so low (between 3 and 17 parts per billion) that it poses no threat to people drinking the water. Health Canada standards for Picloram in drinking water are 190 parts per billion.
McIntosh was speaking Wednesday night to a crowd of about 60 people who gathered in the Chauvin Elks’ Hall to hear about the issue.
McIntosh says this is the first time the herbicide has been detected in drinking water in Alberta and his concern now is to find out how it is entering the water system.
He said he is looking at the spraying practices in the area of the M.D. of Wainwright, CN and farmers in the area.
