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Proponents caution against overreacting to unique case Continued from page 5 13 · Friday, May 11, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com pipes in the ground like a septic system and circulated the fluid five or six feet down in the ground over a large area to absorb the heat," said Grant. "Then, because lots are small, they started drilling multiple holes for these installations. Now I think to make it economical, they drill one deep hole instead of five or six shallow holes and that practice has just emerged in the last year or so." Grant said these changes appear to have created a regulatory gap in Ontario. While there are regulations and safety protocols concerning drilling for oil, natural gas or a well, there are none for digging a deep hole for any other purpose. Paul Meisner, whose company Practical Energy has installed numerous geothermal installations in and around Oakville, cautioned against an overreaction to an incident he called truly unique. "We've done probably 300-500 boreholes in the last couple of years and this is the first time anybody I've talked to has ever heard of this." "I think it's just one of those `fluke' "I am concerned there may be so many new layers of bureaucracy that it would substantially increase the cost of these installations at a time when those costs have otherwise come down to a point where they are finally accessible to more people." Blake Poland, Oakville resident scenarios. Typically, they go at least a kilometre deep to get natural gas. So if you hit it at 500 feet, that's a flukeand-a-half right there." Meisner said considerable training already exists for those who drill boreholes for these types of installations noting most begin as drillers for water wells or geotechnical applications and move into the area of geothermal. Geothermal installation advocate and Oakville resident Blake Poland also called for restraint in reacting to this incident stating too much regulation could drive people away from geothermal. "I am totally sympathetic with ensuring public safety is made a priority, but I am also concerned there may be so many new layers of bureaucracy that it would substantially increase the cost of these installations at a time when those costs have otherwise come down to a point where they are finally accessible to more people," said Poland. See Authorities page 18