Stanstead council, citizens confer at monthly meeting
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Stanstead is implementing several new initiatives to improve community health, recreational facilities, and local landmarks. Key projects include advanced water testing at the Rock Island wastewater treatment plant, enhancing pickleball court facilities with security measures, and seeking redevelopment opportunities for the historic Del Monty Hotel. The following are highlights of the town’s monthly public meeting held June 10.
Water testing initiative in Rock Island
At the meeting, officials from Stanstead discussed a new water testing initiative at the Rock Island wastewater treatment plant. This project, conducted in collaboration with the Centre des Technologies de L’Eau (CTE) affiliated with the Collège Saint-Laurent in Montreal, aims to test for invisible contaminants such as PFAS.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals,” are a group of man-made chemicals found in various industrial applications and consumer products. These substances have raised significant health and environmental concerns due to their persistence in the environment and potential links to adverse health effects.
The testing process will involve collecting samples at multiple points in the treatment plant, including the entrance, exit, and during the treatment process itself. The objective is to identify any presence of these contaminants and assess the plant’s efficiency in removing them.
One of the notable aspects of this project is that it is not a public study.
Instead, it is designed to assist the town internally by providing data that can inform future decisions and improvements. Moreover, if the tests reveal significant issues, the town may qualify for grants and subsidies aimed at supporting research projects and implementing solutions. This could potentially lead to innovative, subsidized projects that address any identified problems, thereby benefiting the community at no additional cost.
