5.1.5 Groundwater and Contaminated Soils

Region of Waterloo Rapid Transit Project Environmental Project Report 5.1.5 Groundwater and Contaminated Soils Groundwater Groundwater is a vital resource in the Region of Waterloo, supplying the area with approximately three quarters of its drinking water, with the remainder being drawn from the Grand River. The Region operates 27 municipal drinking water systems, the largest of which is the Integrated Urban System (IUS). The IUS is comprised of six (6) municipal drinking water systems with an interconnected network of wells, a surface water intake on the Grand River in Kitchener, reservoirs, and pumping stations. The IUS supplies water to approximately 488,342 people (2009) in Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, Elmira, New Hamburg and St. Jacobs. Eighteen (18) smaller water supply systems provide water to settlement areas in the townships and three (3) additional systems are currently not active. In total, groundwater is extracted from 122 wells throughout the Region and one (1) surface water intake. The Region has long conducted monitoring of supply wells and monitoring wells to support sustainable water taking from a variety of local aquifers. Recently, the considerable monitoring data collected by the Region was a key resource in completing early requirements of the new Ontario Clean Water Act. The Region’s chemical and water level groundwater monitoring programs have changed, and continue to change, in response to contamination events, legislation, technology, and the anticipated Source Protection Plans under the Clean Water Act. Potable Water In all areas of the Region, natural groundwater is safe and appropriate for use as drinking water. Technical studies have identified that all areas in Waterloo Region are potentially connected to potable groundwater resources. Much of the local municipal water is derived from buried, “semi-confined” aquifers. These aquifers are recharged primarily by leakage through overlying and underlying protective layers (“aquitards”). The leakage, or aquifer recharge, covers large areas of the Region including urban and rural areas. Areas of recharge to the municipal wells generally fall within Well Head Protection Areas that have been mapped through technical studies. Areas outside of Well Head Protection Areas may still be areas of groundwater recharge to other (non-municipal) groundwater users or to aquifers not currently supplying municipal wells. Most of the water supply in the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo is derived from sand and gravel aquifers associated with the Waterloo Moraine, the major glacial landform in the area. Near the centre of the moraine, geologic layers of sand, gravel and silt till are relatively continuous. However, on the flanks of the moraine, the geology is more complex and in some cases there is no clear separation of shallow and deep aquifers. In the Cambridge area, municipal supplies are taken mainly from fractured bedrock aquifers. Over most of the area, sand and gravel sediments overlie the bedrock and provide recharge to the bedrock and municipal supply wells. Geological studies of the area indicate only irregular and discontinuous aquitard zones within the overburden and the bedrock; zones that do not consistently separate shallow and deep aquifers. Groundwater may potentially be used as a source of potable water in any area within Waterloo Region. The Region is following the Long Term Water Supply Strategy, which plans increased groundwater use over the next several decades, supplemented in the long-term by a pipeline to the Great Lakes. Accordingly, it will remain important to protect the quality of local groundwater sources in anticipation of future municipal needs. March 2012 69 Contaminated Soils Given that existing infrastructure is being used and improved to accommodate the new RT service, and that limited excavation is anticipated, a separate hydrogeologic report was not prepared during the TPAP. However, contaminated soils may be encountered during the course of project construction and will be addressed accordingly. See Appendix E for a map of potentially contaminated sites along the RT corridor, provided by the MOE. 5.2 Socio-economic Environment The socio-economic environment includes land uses, economic characteristics, community features, noise and vibration, and air quality. Each of these elements was considered along the RT corridor to determine current community elements as well as baselines from which to assess potential effects. 5.2.1 Land Uses and Economic Characteristics The preferred RT system route traverses many distinct areas in Waterloo Region, including business parks, mixed-use core districts, commercial areas, educational centres, major transportation corridors and some residential neighbourhoods. Existing nodes and corridors along the route will be major trip generators. Rapid transit is anticipated to spur further development and growth in these areas, consistent with regional and local policies and plans for managing and directing growth. The following provides a description of existing land uses and key buildings along the route, from the City of Waterloo in the north to the City of Cambridge in the south. The study area is 36 km in length and travels through a variety of communities with many different land uses and buildings, many of which would benefit from RT as they are large residential, institutional and commercial facilities. North Waterloo (Conestoga Mall to Northfield Drive at Waterloo Spur) At the north end of the route along King Street the land use is mainly large-scale commercial, including Conestoga Mall, which is Waterloo’s primary indoor shopping centre. Employment and commercial uses are found along Northfield Drive and the beginning of the Waterloo Spur line, including several car dealerships and light industrial buildings. Waterloo Spur (Northfield Drive to Erb Street) Between Weber Street and Bearinger Road, the rail line is mostly tree-lined with a variety of semi- detached houses, townhouses and high density apartments on either side. A church and Bible college back onto the line east of Old Albert Street, and Albert McCormick Community Centre is just west of Old Albert Street. An open space, wooded area is found north of Bearinger Road. On the east side of the rail line from Bearinger Road to just south of Columbia Street are commercial and light industrial uses, with several Research In Motion (RIM) buildings. West of the rail line between Bearinger Road and Columbia Street is the David Johnston Research & Technology Park (R&T Park), which is a rapidly developing employment area that is home to many high-tech companies and 70 Region of Waterloo Rapid Transit Project Environmental Project Report institutional research facilities. The main campus for the University of Waterloo (UW) is located between Columbia Street and University Avenue, and has over 30,000 students and 3,000 staff. A commercial plaza is northeast of where the rail line intersects with University Avenue. South of University Avenue on the east side of the Waterloo Spur are several medium to high density student residences with a UW parking lot on the west side. Waterloo Park, one of the City’s largest open space and recreational areas, is found between Seagram Drive and Erb Street. A major building in this area is the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and a new mixed use development with hotel, commercial and residential uses is underway at the northwest corner of Father David Bauer Drive and Erb Street. Uptown Waterloo Loop (Erb Street to Allen Street) At Erb Street, the LRT route transitions primarily to an on-street right-of-way continuing through Uptown Waterloo in a loop along King and Caroline Streets, connecting southbound on Allen Street and northbound on the Waterloo Spur rail line. Two (2) major institutional buildings are located at the corner of Erb and Caroline Streets: the Centre for International Governance Innovation and the new Balsillie School of International Affairs. The Seagram Lofts are set back from the intersection behind these two (2) buildings. Through Uptown Waterloo, the buildings are more compact with a wide mix of uses, including retail, office, commercial, institutional and medium to high density residential, including Waterloo Town Square. A small townhouse complex (Catalina townhouse development) is located on the west side of Caroline Street between William and Allen Streets. King Street (Allen Street to Victoria Street) Where the LRT route reverts to a two-way alignment on King Street at Allen Street, existing land use densities decrease somewhat, but continue to include a mixed-use area with a variety of retail, office and residential uses. Some of the more notable buildings along King Street between Uptown Waterloo and Downtown Kitchener are: The Bauer Lofts (as shown in adjacent photograph) condominium redevelopment the southwest corner of King and Allen Streets; Sun Life Financial Canadian headquarters at the northwest corner of King and Union Streets; Grand River Hospital on King Street between Mount Hope and Green Streets; Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School on King Street east of Green Street; and The Breithaupt Block redevelopment with commercial space at the northeast corner of King Street and Moore Avenue, currently under construction. Downtown Kitchener Loop (Victoria Street to Frederick Street/Benton Street) At Victoria Street, the LRT route splits into a one-way loop through Downtown Kitchener along Charles and Duke Streets. Land uses in Downtown Kitchener

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