Unlicensed snow dump shut down in Township of Wilmot

CTV’s Jeff Pickel learns why neighbours were raising concerns about a snow dump in Wilmot Township.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has stepped in to shut down an unlicensed snow dump in the Township of Wilmot.

Neighbours said they began raising concerns when they saw a large number of trucks haul snow to a gravel and sand quarry operated by Esbaugh Sand and Gravel LTD. on Witmer Road.

“We don’t know where the snow’s coming from, we don’t know what’s in said snow,” said Rory Farnan who lives in Wilmot and is a member of Citizens for Safe Groundwater.

Although it’s not clear where the snow was coming from, the Township of Wilmot said it didn’t come from the township.

“It is a concern to us due to the fact that there may be contaminants, such as things like salt, oil, gasoline from parking lots and from roads,” Farnan said.

Farnan said the location of the snow dump is significant because the quarry sits on top of the Region of Waterloo’s largest water source.

“The gravel pit is on the Waterloo Moraine and that is a body of groundwater that feeds our regional wells,” Farnan said. “The property itself sits on a regional recharge area and a significant intake zone for our integrated water system.”

The Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed they asked the operator to stop trucking in snow.

“The Ministry of Natural Resources administers the Aggregate Resource Act, with which licence holders must comply, along with their approved site plan, any applicable licence conditions, and associated regulations. The ministry conducts regular inspections to ensure compliance. In this instance, snow dumping is not permitted under the approved licence or site plan, and the licensee has been advised to cease importing snow,” a ministry spokesperson said.

CTV News also asked if there was a penalty for operating an unlicensed snow dump and how the ministry became aware of the activity, however they chose not to respond to those questions.

CTV News also reached out to Esbaugh Sand and Gravel LTD. but did not hear back by the time this article was published.