August17,2017 FOINo:201733

VIAEMAILbob@thebreaker.news

BobMackin
TheBreakerNews

DearMr.Mackin,

Re: RequestforRecords
FreedomofInformationandProtectionofPrivacyAct

TheCityofWhiteRockhasprocessedyourrequestforaccesstothefollowingrecordspursuant
totheFreedomofInformationandProtectionofPrivacyAct(theAct):

Allemail(includingattachments)receivedatFactCheck@whiterockcity.ca,andall
responsestosenders.

Accesstotheseitemsisavailable.However,someoftherecordscontaininformationthatis
exceptedfromdisclosureundertheAct.IhaveseveredtheexceptedinformationsothatIcould
disclosetoyoutheremaininginformationasattached.

Theseveredinformationisexceptedfromdisclosurepursuanttosection22oftheAct.Severing
wasnecessarytoavoiddisclosinganypersonalinformationwithoutpermission.

PleasenotethattheCitydoesnotresponddirectlytoemailsubmissionsto
factcheck@whiterockcity.ca.Allincomingemailsreceiveanautomaticreplycontainingthetext
includedonthefinalpageasattached.


Pleasecontactourofficeifyouhaveanyquestionsorconcerns.

Sincerely,

KenOverton
Manager,Property,RiskManagement,andFOI
6045412104

Att.

2of3

From: Redacted S. 22
To: Fact Check
Subject: Rumours and inuendo
Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2017 7:16:15 AM

Here's a rumour.

I heard rumour that the city is now having to double up both arsenic and manganese plants at the Oxford site . I
heard that EPCOR wouldn't even consider this as it is so cost prohibitive due to the fact that millions and millions of
dollars would have to be spent installing brand new water mains between the Oxford and Merklin sites along with
accompanying pumping stations. They say it is much cheaper to join GVRD water than to pour millions of dollars
into plants and still not have the water capacity to fight fires the size of the Ocean Ridge fires .

Another rumour I heard was that the City is fighting the release of the June 2013 Business case report to join GVRD
water is because it probably makes more sense.

Please clear up all this mis-information please.

Redacted S. 22
White Rock
From: Redacted S. 22
To: Fact Check
Subject: FACT
Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2017 7:17:46 AM

You still havent disclosed the details of the purchase of EPCOR! Why arent we hooking up to MV water? Isnt it
the cheaper solution?

-Redacted S. 22
From: Redacted S. 22
To: Fact Check
Cc: Wayne Baldwin; David Chesney; Helen Fathers; Megan Knight; Bill Lawrence; Grant Meyer; Lynne Sinclair; Dan
Bottrill; Tracey Arthur; Redacted S. 22
Subject: Rumours and Misperceptions - Eliminating Misinformation ? - Reporting of Rumours for Confirmation or
Correction
Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2017 8:54:50 AM

I see that the City of White Rock has launched a bold new PR initiative to try to change the
Public's perception of the poor quality of White Rock water.
http://www.whiterockcity.ca/EN/main/community/rumours-and-misperceptions.html

At this City web page it says:

"The City of White Rock regularly receives phone calls and inquiries asking if certain
information circulating is true. The Rumours and Misperceptions page will address
inaccurate information circulating in the community and media.

Community members are encouraged to check back often as new facts and topics will be
added on a regular basis.

If you hear rumours in the community that you believe should be corrected please contact
the City at factcheck@whiterockcity.ca.

In order to fact check the potential rumour we do require some information and sources.
Below are some helpful tips on how you can help us set the record straight.

Tips for submitting a potential rumour:

Social Media Post: Screenshot(s) of the post in question or provide the link to it
Media: Links to media articles, editorials, Letters to the Editor
Broadcasts: Date and time of broadcast along with the station"

Although to me, it is reminiscent of the Stalin era back n the days of the USSR, since you are
asking the Public to report rumours, here are couple of rumors that I would like to have either
confirmed or corrected:

1. Rumour has it that this bold new initiative was decided at one of those regular
scheduled command performance "secret" Council meetings that exclude the Public. Is
this correct?
2. Rumour has it that following the recommendations of Staff, Council will soon approve
the realignment of the reporting relationship of the Bylaw Officers to report to
the position of Manager, Communications and Government Relations. Is this correct?
3. Rumour has it that following the recommendations of Staff, Council will approve a new
White Rock Bylaw giving the Bylaw Officers sweeping powers to act as "rumour police"
 and any member of the Public found to be spreading "rumours and misperceptions"
that the City deems to be detrimenetal to the City's interest will face stringent
penalties. Is this correct?

Thank you, I look forward to a reply.

As I have family who must rely on White Rock water, I hope this bold new PR initiative
launched by the City will serve to significantly improve the quality of the water delivered to
White Rock water users.

Redacted S. 22
Surrey, BC
From: Redacted S. 22
To: Fact Check
Cc: Helen Fathers; david Chesney; Megan Knight; Bill Lawrence; Grant Meyer; Lynne Sinclair; Greg St. Louis; Saad
Jasim; Dan Bottrill
Subject: Mis perceptions/rumours/misleading statements
Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2017 2:19:15 PM

Council and staff

I would like to report a possible infraction as per either a mis perception or mis leading statement that I have found
on a website .

It states that with the new Merklin reservoir completed that water storage was increased by 1.4 million liters. I
would have to refer you to the fact that the new reservoir replaced the old Reservoir (Tank) for a net loss of 300,000
liters storage capacity. Could you report this on your website as per your instructions Here is the link.

http://www.whiterockcity.ca/EN/main/community/rumours-and-misperceptions html

Regards
Redacted S. 22
From: Redacted S. 22
To: Fact Check
Cc: Farnaz Farrokhi; Dan Bottrill; Greg St. Louis; Saad Jasim; Helen Fathers; David Chesney; Megan Knight; Bill
Lawrence; Grant Meyer; Lynne Sinclair; Tracey Arthur; Stephanie Lam
Subject: Taking the time to clear up some rumours and misperceptions
Date: Saturday, June 24, 2017 10:34:37 AM

Dear Fact Checker

Could you post this to your "Rumours and Misperceptions "site?

In a January 4, 2017 Peace Arch News story found here

http://www.peacearchnews.com/news/409684665.html, Ms. Farrokhi was quoted as
below:

"According to Farrokhi, operations staff deny rumours circulating among some council
critics that completion of the new chlorination plant and reservoir at the Merklin site
will leave no room for the proposed arsenic and manganese treatment plant there.

While this has given rise to theories that this would result in a doubling-up of arsenic
and manganese treatment facilities at Oxford leading to further loss of trees plus
installation of a costly piping system connecting the Oxford and Merklin sites
Farrokhi said operations officials unequivocally deny that such work is contemplated."

"Next Steps for 2017

Continue monitoring the chlorination at the two pumping stations and the
disinfectant residuals in the distribution system.

Continue to monitor and report the levels of arsenic & manganese in the
distribution system.

Report any exceedance of the MAC Guideline Drinking Water Quality

Review potential federal/provincial funding opportunities.

Issue a Request for Proposal to hire an engineering firm to:

o RFP Tender for Design Build for water treatment plant.

o Provide a process design for the appropriate technology for arsenic and
manganese removal based on research findings.

o Determine most economical plant design.

construct an arsenic and manganese water treatment plant.

I understand the "operations staff" denying those rumours (which in fact were not
rumours but statements made by Dr. Saad Jasim at the December 2016 City-run
water "open house") has not had the opportunity to run those rumours by the
"Rumours and Misperceptions" Department which I understand is headed up by Ms.
Farrokhi .

Regards
Redacted S. 22
From: Redacted S. 22
To: Fact Check
Subject: Rumor
Date: Sunday, June 25, 2017 9:47:37 PM
Attachments: ATT00001.txt

Dear City Myth Busters:

Thank you for setting up this site. I have many myths that I wanted to have professionally investigated and this
seems to be a fantastic use of my tax dollars.

My first rumor that I hope you can dispel is that Mayor Wayne Baldwin, is actually two children in a coat. I have
attached the image that is circulating to support this rumor below.

Please look into this matter and finally put this rumor to rest.

Sincerely,

Redacted S. 22

--Apple-M
From: Redacted S. 22
To: Fact Check
Subject: Water
Date: Sunday, July 02, 2017 10:50:05 PM

The city is actively fighting order by OIPC to release documents related to the sale of the water
utility to White Rock by Epcor.

Hmmm...I wonder why?

From: Redacted S. 22
To: Fact Check
Subject: Rumor
Date: Thursday, July 06, 2017 7:34:56 AM

We can't move into our new home at Redacted S. 22 as the developer says it can't get occupancy
from the city.
From: Redacted S. 22
To: Fact Check
Subject: Grass cutting
Date: Thursday, July 06, 2017 8:08:14 AM

I heard that the city cannot find summer people to cut the public grass on road ends, boulevards, etc even offering
$22/hour. The grass beside our house is also beside public access stairs to the beach and is knee high now. I worry
that when the grass gets just a little dryer, one cigarette will set it all on fire and we could lose houses.
Is this rumor true?

Sent from my iPad

From: Redacted S. 22
To: Fact Check; Farnaz Farrokhi
Cc: Wayne Baldwin; David Chesney; Helen Fathers; Megan Knight; Bill Lawrence; Grant Meyer; Lynne Sinclair; Dan
Bottrill; Tracey Arthur; Lance Peverley; Redacted S. 22
Subject: Correcting the Rumour and Misinformation that White Rock Water "Exceeds the Canadian Drinking Water
Standard in All Respects"
Date: Monday, July 10, 2017 12:46:28 PM
Attachments: CSC-2017-71580.pdf

July 10, 2017

Dear City of White Rock Fact Checker

Subject: Rumours and Misperceptions - Eliminating Misinformation

I am aware that certain information circulating within the Community may not be true and I
am told that your "Rumours and Misperceptions" web page will address inaccurate
information circulating in the community and media.

I have heard a rumour in the Community that I believe should be immediately corrected and I
want to help you set the record straight.

On June 26, 2017, at an open Council Meeting, Mayor Wayne Baldwin misinformed the
Public, Council, City Staff and the record by openly stating: "IT MUST BE FIRST NOTED THAT
WHITE ROCKS WATER EXCEEDS THE CANADIAN DRINKING WATER STANDARD IN ALL
RESPECTS."

To further exacerbate this incorrect rumour and woefully wrong misinformation, Wayne
Baldwin has continued to try to spread this rumour and misinformation through social media
on his personal blog, "Wayne Baldwin - White Rock Matters", found at this web link:
http://www.waynebaldwin.ca/

Among other things about White Rock water, Wayne Baldwin incorrectly states:

"IT MUST BE FIRST NOTED THAT WHITE ROCKS WATER EXCEEDS THE CANADIAN DRINKING
WATER STANDARD IN ALL RESPECTS."

Any White Rock water user who has informed themselves about White Rock water knows
much better than this and as the city mayor elected to serve the Public, so too should Wayne
Baldwin. Simple common sense will tell you that the Provincial and Federal Governments
would not dole out $11.8 million of Public monies to White Rock so that White Rock can try to
correct its troubled water situation if it was in fact true that "White Rock's water exceeds the
Canadian Drinking Water Standards in all respects."

But if you want more proof beyond common sense, the plain and readily available proof that
White Rock water does NOT exceed the Canadian Drinking Water Standard in all respects can
be found in the City of White Rock's own Clean Water Wastewater Fund (CWWF) Grant
Application from November of 2016. It is attached and for ease of reference let me quote
from various sections of it for you:

"3. The proposed project involves the construction of

water treatment infrastructure to treat the City of White Rocks source
water to remove Arsenic and Manganese and meet the Guidelines for Canadian
Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ). Fraser Health Authority has issued a
directive that requires the City to provide treatment by December 31, 2018
to lower the arsenic levels below the Guideline limit. The City's water
has elevated levels of manganese which exceed the proposed MAC and
aesthetic limits in the GCDWQ.

"4. In addition to arsenic, the City's water has elevated levels of Manganese.
The majority of the City's wells are consistently over the new Manganese
limit (MAC of 0.1 mg/L) proposed by Health Canada. Additionally, the
Manganese levels exceed the aesthetic limit in the GCDWQ of O.O5mg/L.
Above these levels, manganese can affect the taste, smell and/or colour of
the water, and at levels exceeding O.l5mg/L, it can stain plumbing
fixtures and laundry. Furthermore, removal of manganese will protect the
most sensitive members of the population against potential health impacts
and reduce consumer complaints regarding discoloured water and staining of
laundry
18. (a) If this project does not receive Federal/Provincial
funding, the City will have to wait for other grant funding opportunities and delay the project
for several years. This would mean the population would be at risk of ingesting water that
exceeds the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) of arsenic (i.e. does not meet the
GCDWQ) for an extended period of time. Additionally, if Health Canada moves ahead with its
proposed Manganese MAC of 0.1 mg/L then the community will already be ingesting water
that does not meet the new limit. Since the community was formed, water supply has been
under the control of private operators. This
changed n 2015 when the City acquired the water utility. As a result, this application is a
historic milestone for the City because this is the first time t has been able to qualify for grant
funding for water infrastructure. The City s looking to senior governments for financial
assistance as it cannot finance this major public health initiative alone.

20.h) The proposed project will allow the City to

consistently provide drinking water that meets the GCDWQ including aesthetic and
proposed maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) limits for
manganese and assurance that drinking water will consistently remain below the arsenic
MAC. The City will continue to regulate and report on drinking
water quality regularly as per conditions of their Fraser Health Operating Permit

21.b) If this project is completed, the population of the

City of Whte Rock, 85 metered connections in Surrey (~200 people) and the Semiahmoo First
Nation (~50 people on reserve) and 260 commercial & institutional connections will receive
enhanced services by having access to drinking water that consistently meets the GCDWQ.
Arsenic concentrations have occasionally exceeded GCDWQ MAC limits. In addition to
arsenic, the City's water has elevated levels of Manganese which exceed the proposed
GCDWQ MAC of 0.lmg/L and aesthetic limit of 0.O5mg/L. Epidemiological studies have
suggested that drinking water with manganese concentrations above the proposed MAC can
lead to neurological effects in children. Above the aesthetic objective manganese can affect
the taste, smell and/or colour of the water and the water can stain plumbing fixtures and
laundry. The majority of the City's wells are above the proposed MAC. The proposed water
treatment infrastructure will treat for arsenic and manganese.

22.a) The proposed project forms part of these local

utilities and the improved drinking water has the potential to attract businesses into the
area.

22 h)The project will enhance services and improve the

health of the community by supplying water that consistently meets the
GCDWQ and complies with the Drinking Water Protection Act and Regulation.
From a public health perspective - properly treated water will minimize
cancer risks associated with the consumption of water with arsenic levels
at or below the Health Canada MAC limit of 0.1 mg/L. Additionally, removal
of manganese will protect the most sensitive members of the population
against potential health impacts, and reduce consumer complaints regarding
discoloured water and staining of laundry."

Note too that the letter of support from Fraser Health submitted with the Grant Application
says:

"As indicated in our previous letter, Fraser Health supports the City's efforts to design and
install
treatment to reduce the existing arsenic and manganese levels in its water supply. The levels
of
arsenic reported by the City are occasional temporary exceedances above Health Canada's
maximum acceptable concentration. There also are exceedances of manganese above
Health
Canada's guideline.

We support the City's efforts to promote public health and water quality protection and
envision that the needed funding for enhanced treatment will positively affect all community
members for years to come and reduce any potential health effects to the City's residents
Similarly, the letter of support from MP Diane Watts says:

" This treatment plant will reduce the levels of arsenic and manganese in the City of White
Rock's drinking water to a level within the Canadian Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality.

And former MLA Gordon Hogg's letter of support says:

"This project will benefit our community by building the infrastructure that will allow for a
sustainable supply of clean, safe drinking water that meets the Fraser Health Authority
(FHA) and Canadian guidelines."

Given the plain facts, its is obvious that White Rock's water does NOT exceed the Canadian
Drinking Water Standards in all respects as Wayne Baldwin claims.

Either City of White Rock Staff, Fraser Health, Diane Watts and Gordon Hogg are all wrong, or
Wayne Baldwin is creating incorrect rumours and spreading misinformation. In my opinion, it
appears very clear to be the latter, so I ask please that you take quick steps to stop
these unfortunate rumours, correct this misinformation and advise back.

Thank you.

Redacted S. 22
White Rock Safe Water Alliance
Thank you for submitting to the City of White Rocks Rumours and Misperceptions
page. We appreciate you taking the time to submit your information.

The Fact Check team will review, and may address this
at www.whiterockcity.ca/factcheck. This email is to confirm that we have received
your submission. Please note that this email account is only for submissions.

If you have a question and/or request a reply, please visit our department
directory and a City Staff member would be happy to help.