Negative impact of abandoned coal mine workings on drinking water quality and the health of residents on Vancouver Island

• Main Author: Biagioni, Karla
• Other Authors: Foster, Harold D.
• Language: English; en
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: abandoned coal mines; environmental aspects; British Columbia; Vancouver Island; Drinking water; health; UVic Subject Index::Humanities and Social Sciences::Social Sciences::Geography
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1828/1760

The Nanaimo Coalfield was a major coal producer between 1852 and 1968. During this time, coal was mined extensively in the area of South Wellington. The quality of groundwater in South Wellington may be adversely affected as mine site abandonment causes a deterioration of the hydrological system. This thesis employed a case-control study and examined the quality of drinking water and geographic variations in health of residents in two communities on Vancouver Island, South Wellington and Cinnabar, The control group, situated in Cinnabar, derives its water from the City of Nanaimo. However private groundwater wells supply drinking water to the study group, South Wellington. Abandoned coal mine workings degrade groundwater and in turn may affect the public through non-point source pollution. Disease and ill health are more common in South Wellington than in Cinnabar. The analyses of well water samples in South Wellington have revealed high levels of total dissolved solids and total conform, aluminum, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, iron, lead, selenium, sodium and thallium. Each of these elements has been linked to various diseases and disorders and may be predictive of ill health in South Wellington.