An Engineer’s Opinion - December 2010
Living in the country is in many ways very idyllic. On a warm
summer's evening I can sit on my front porch and not see a light.
The sound of frogs in the pond and birds in the trees is very
soothing. There are some challenges, however.
The main one is water. When you live in the city you take a lot of
things for granted. Water quality is a big one. I get my water from
a well. Fortunately the Ontario Ministry of the Environment
provides good guidelines along with a free water testing service to
ensure that everyone has quality water. My home is next to a
working farm. Concerns for me are things like fertilizers and
organic matter in the water. I extended my well the recommended
distance above grade to keep surface water out.
I had to install an ultraviolet light to kill bacteria and install
a reverse osmosis system for drinking water. I also had
unacceptably high levels of iron in my water which required the
installation of an iron filter. This is an important expense, one
that I don't regret in the least. I don't take my drinking water
for granted any more.
A few weeks ago I presented a cheque for $1,000 to the Halton
Women's Shelter through our Care to Share program. This is an
organization dedicated to Serving the needs of women suffering from
physical, mental and sexual abuse. In an average year they provide
refuge to over 800 women and 1,000 children. I may live in a good
community but that is only on the surface. There are many among us
who do not share our good fortune.
Recessions have a way of taking us out of our complacency. We
can't assume the air we breathe is good, the water we drink is
clean and the community we live in is better than what we see and
hear about in the media. We have to exercise independent judgment
about the things that affect us and support the hard work of those
who care for our communities. AtlasCare is proud to play a small
role in pursuing health for your home and our community.
Roger Grochmal P.Eng.
President and CBO, AtlasCare
