Protecting Belleville’s drinking water is the main concern as flooding persists

Mayor Mitch Panciuk, along with (from left), deputy fire chief Paul Patry, environmental-services manager Perry DeCola and Coun. Chris Malette gave a press conference Wednesday to talk about flooding and precautions being taken to protect Belleville’s supply drinking water. Photo by Alex Mahar, QNetNews

By Alex Mahar

BELLEVILLE – Protecting city residents’ drinking-water supply is the main concern when it comes to flooding in Belleville Mayor Mitch Panciuk says.

Panciuk held a press conference Wednesday morning at city hall to discuss the city’s plan to deal with a flooding situation that he called critical.

Joining Panciuk were Paul Patry, the city’s deputy fire chief, Perry DeCola, manager of environmental services, and Coun. Chris Malette. The four stood at the podium on the fourth floor of city hall to caution Belleville residents that this year’s flood levels in the Bay of Quinte are expected to exceed those of 2017, which at the time was believed to be a once-in-a-century event.

Panciuk said the main concern has shifted from homes being flooded to protecting Belleville’s drinking water. If untreated water in the bay gets too high, it can get into the water supply at the Gerry O’Connor Water Treatment Plant, which is just off the bay at 2 Sidney St. That would contaminate the city’s drinking-water supply.

At the moment the situation is under control, Panciuk said, but over the next two weeks, water levels in the Bay of Quinte are expected to rise to a point where there is a risk to the water supply.

DeCola said that in 2000 a berm at the water-treatment plant was raised five feet, which was expected to create enough space for storage of the city’s clean water supply to last for 500 years. But water levels have got so high, especially this year, that the city may need to raise the berm further, he said

Precautions and planning for the high water levels of 2017 helped the city understand what it needs to do to protect the water supply, which could mean raising the berm another foot, DeCola said. If this year’s flood levels had happened prior to the work in 2000, Belleville’s drinking water would have been at risk, he added.

As for the risk of homes being flooded by the high water, city residents are being told to take all precautions. If the water levels are high on your property, Panciuk said, you should call the public-works department. A city official will evaluate the situation and take the necessary flood-relief actions, such as sandbagging or water-pumping.

Patry reminded homeowners to make sure they’re using their sump pumps to keep water out of their homes.