Concerns continue to surface in Smiths Falls about environmental testing at the town’s compost site on Highway 43, with residents raising questions about whether all the required studies have been completed and released.
At a recent council meeting, the Town reported that updated environmental approvals had been issued by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) earlier this month, following soil, surface water and groundwater testing. Officials reassured the public that drinking water remains safe.
But Smiths Falls resident Nathaniel Morris took to social media to say that message was misleading. He argued the new Environmental Compliance Approval only dealt with a technical issue allowing the compost site to continue operating in its current location, not the contamination findings themselves. “Suggesting this proves the drinking water system is safe is a clear misrepresentation—the two issues are completely unrelated,” Morris wrote.
Update on the Missing Delineation StudyIt’s still missing.In response to allegations that the Town has been…
Posted by Nathaniel Morris on Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Morris also pointed out that a delineation study—a key document that maps the spread and source of contaminants—still has not been released, despite Mayor Shawn Pankow directly asking the Town’s Director of Public Works about it during the council meeting.
Town staff suggested that a hydrogeological study met that requirement, but Morris noted the two are not the same.
A hydrogeological study looks at water movement in the system, while a delineation study is designed to trace whether contaminants are migrating and in what direction.
According to Morris, without the delineation study, there is no clear evidence that pollution from the compost site isn’t entering the wetlands that feed Smiths Falls’ drinking water supply.