The health of streams east of the Brome Lake’s watershed

Translation: Akexandre Hackett: 

West Bolton and its citizens are preoccupied by the water quality of the streams in the area. In the last seven years, an IDEC water-quality test was done at the suggestion of a member of OBV-Yamaska. The results of an IDEC test are based on the quantity of nutritional elements present in the water, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, over a period of 4 weeks. The results are categorized into A, B, C and D, with A having the best value: a score of 70 to 100, representing the finest water quality in a waterway. 

The following table shows the results of every stream sampled since 2015 as well as the importance of their contribution to Brome Lake. These results show the excellent quality of the water in our waterways, which for the last 4 years have been classed A. The Quilliams and the Coldbrook represent 69% of the water brought into Brome Lake, with concentrations of phosphorus that are well within the normal limits. 

Furthermore, one of the chemical analyses done last July confirms the absence of cyanotoxins in the waterways. Although we cannot presume that everything is perfect, it would be erroneous to point a finger at agriculture in the area, as it consists primarily in the production of hay in the fields, some horse breeding and livestock operations, organic vegetable farming and beekeeping. 

The shorelines have already been inspected and approved by the MRC, and some of these were done in collaboration with RLB. This being the case, are the conclusions and insinuations found in Tempo‘s April issue truly justifiable?