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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, May 23, 2012 · 4 Inside Opinion............................................6 Artscene.........................................24 Sports.............................................26 Classified........................................29 Full Delivery: Real Estate, Sport Chek, Salvation Army, L.J. Shoes, JYSK, Atmosphere, Rona, Sure Lock Interlocking, National Sports, Shopping News, Golf Town, Home Depot, Henry's Camera, XS Cargo, B&H Magazine Drilling support for council The Ontario Ground Water Association (OGWA) has supported the concerns of Oakville Mayor Rob Burton regarding the drilling of vertical boreholes for geothermal heating systems. The organization issued its statement after an incident in Oakville resulted in the evacuation of a home near a drilling site. Now, the OGWA is calling for regulation. Regulation 903 of the Ontario Water Resources Act currently requires insurance coverage and ongoing technical training for licensing of water well drilling. However, until now, there was no mandatory requirement in the province for geothermal drillers. The McGuinty government announced Friday Ontario is strengthening regulations around drilling for geothermal energy systems and that vertical closed loop drilling for For home delivery & customer service call 905-845-9742 Mon., Tues. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed., Thu., and Fri. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. (open for calls only after 5 p.m.) Closed Sat. and Sun. New subscriptions call (905) 845-9742 or subscribe online @ www.oakvillebeaver.com geothermal energy systems will now require provincial approval with the installers also required to consult with a certified geoscientist before drilling. "Unregulated geothermal drilling by untrained, and sometimes unlicensed and uninsured drillers has led to a number of serious problems, including flowing wells causing millions of dollars in damage, interference with neighbouring wells causing loss of potable water, and now this potentially explosive situation," the news release states. "The OGWA strongly advocates the proper sealing of all boreholes." The organization noted the majority of geothermal drillers are experienced and responsible. However, they are competing in an aggressive marketplace that can pay more attention to the cost of installation rather than quality.