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Driver suffers serious injuries A 25-year-old Orton man was seriously injured when he lost control of his car on Trafalgar Rd. just south of Hwy. 7 early Friday morning. Halton Police say the accident occurred at approximately 5:30 a.m. The vehicle slid across the roadway, hit a sign, then a tree in the east ditch. Photo by Ted Brown Twinning of hydro transmission line leaps first hurdle with OPA approval LISA TALLYN Staff Writer Hydro One received the go-ahead from the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) Monday to get the approval required to build a new hydro transmission line adjacent to the existing line running from the Bruce Power Complex through Halton Hills to Milton. The $600-million project requires approval under the Environmental Assessment Act and from the Ontario Energy Board (OEB). Gary Schneider, manager regulatory approvals with Hydro One, said they hope to have OEB approval by this fall and that it will likely be conditional on environmental assessment approval, which they hope to have by 2008. Schneider said within the next two weeks Hydro One will be sending out information packages and letters about the project to affected landowners along the line and public information centres will be held in this area in Acton and Erin in May. The Acton centre will be held Wednesday, May 9 at the Royal Canadian Legion from 4 to 8 p.m., and the one in Erin will be Tuesday, May 8 at the Community Centre, also from 4 to 8 p.m. Schneider said Hydro One will be "initiating discussions" with landowners in the near future and plans to continue those discussions throughout this year, however, he said they won't be able to begin negotiating until they have OEB approval. Hydro One plans to acquire the land required mostly through easement agreements with the landowners, and due to the urgent need for the line it would be seeking approval to acquire the land through expropriation. Schneider said 46 landowners are affected in Halton Hills. In total 400 landowners are impacted by the project along the whole line and there may be 20 to 30 properties with houses that fall within the corridor expansion area-- 175 to 200 ft. east of the existing line. He didn't know how many properties were in that situation in Halton Hills. "In those cases we would be offering a buy-out option," said Schneider. In cases where there is a barn or an out building in the corridor, Schneider said they would offer to move it elsewhere on the property. When asked about homes that are not in the expanded corridor, but right beside it, Schneider said they would be looked at "case by case." The proposed 180 km, 500 kV transmission line, is the largest expansion to Ontario's transmission system in 20 years and is planned to be in service by December 2011. The new line is to increase the province's transmission capacity and allow for greater access to renewable energy and nuclear power from the Bruce region. Anyone with questions or concerns about the project can call the Project Hotline at 1-877-345-6799. More information is also available at www.hydroonenetworks.com/brucetomilton. (Lisa Tallyn can be reached at ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Survey indicates many wells have too much bacteria Continued from pg. 1 Staff estimated that mailing the bottles out would cost about $6 per package. To Oakville Councillor Fred Oliver, it would be money well spent. "I don't look at it as a cost-- I look at it as an investment," he remarked. Amalfa said staff is exploring other options to get the bottles out to the residents. Those who are found to have unacceptable levels of bacteria in their wells are provided educational information and advice by the health department to deal with the causes. Staff are also willing to personally check out a resident's well and give recommendations on how to remedy the bacteria situation. Amongst the causes of bacteria in the water are faulty well lids or cracked casings, which allow rain water and surface water to get in. Amalfa said that the health department isn't aware of any health problems that've been caused by the bacteria. He explained the presence of bacteria indicates that disease-causing organisms may also be in the water. Approximately 7,500 homes in Halton are on well water, with most of them located in the towns of Milton and Halton Hills. Well water information sessions have been scheduled for April 18 at the Limehouse Memorial Hall and April 25 at the Nassagaweya Community Centre. Both sessions will run from 3:30 to 9 p.m. A second phase of the well water study will take place this summer. Police blotter Driver of grey car exposes himself to teen Halton Police report a 15-year-old girl was walking across the parking lot at Georgetown Market Place at 6:30 p.m. last Wednesday when the driver of a car exposed himself. The man was in a grey car, possibly a two-door Grand Am. He is described as balding, in his mid30s. ··· Halton Police report a Kenwood stereo was stolen sometime between Friday March 16 and Tuesday March 20 from a 2003 Mazda parked in the rear parking lot at Hassell's Automotive on Mountainview Rd. N. Police say there was no damage to the vehicle and it's unknown how the car was entered. ··· A Toronto man is facing charges after police went to the Georgetown address the man was court ordered to reside at and found he wasn't living there. As a result warrants were issued for his arrest and the man was arrested last week when he showed up for a court appearance in Toronto. Charged with two counts of failing to comply with recognizance is Gavin BlowOttley, 21, of Willow Ridge Rd. Toronto.