Understanding the Flow: Water Safety at the Revell Site
Living here in Northwestern Ontario, we know that water is the lifeblood of our land. Whether you are fishing near Borups Corners, checking the culverts in Dyment during the spring melt, or drawing water in Melgund Township, the health of our watershed is personal. Recently, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) released documents regarding the proposed Revell Site Deep Geological Repository (DGR). Specifically, they are looking at how construction, blasting, and treated discharge might change the water flowing through our backyard.
What We Are Learning
The NWMO has released an initial description of how they plan to handle water. They acknowledge that building the DGR will involve clearing land, blasting rock, and discharging treated water, all of which could impact local streams and lakes. To keep us safe, they plan to use “best management practices” and engineered water management systems. Their current assessment concludes that the risk to our water quality and quantity is “low.” However, there is a significant catch: the document admits that the detailed “site-wide water balance and water quality modeling” has not actually been completed yet.
The Reality Check
As neighbours trying to get the full picture, we need to weigh what is being promised against the evidence currently available.
- What is being promised: The NWMO states that with their proposed water treatment systems, any changes to the water will be minor and “low risk.” They claim that standard industry methods will be enough to protect the environment.
- What we need to verify: The Impact Assessment relies heavily on computer models to predict how water moves and carries contaminants. Since the NWMO admits this modeling is incomplete, the “low risk” rating is currently a prediction, not a proven fact. We are effectively being asked to trust the result before the math has been finished.
The Path Forward
This brings us to a critical gap in the current plan. The report notes that because the modeling is unfinished, there is uncertainty about how the site will handle specific stressors. For example, we don’t yet know how the system will cope with the extreme weather shifts we see in Northwestern Ontario, such as sudden, heavy spring freshets or prolonged summer droughts.
The Solution: We are calling for the NWMO to prioritize the completion and public release of these hydrological models before the final Impact Statement is submitted. We need to see a “sensitivity analysis”—essentially, a stress test showing what happens if their mitigation systems fail during a massive storm. Without this data, the claim of “low risk” is premature.
Why It Matters Here
One specific detail in the report stands out for those of us who enjoy the outdoors. The NWMO mentions the use of “regulated mixing zones.” In plain English, this is a specific area in a water body where treated wastewater is discharged and allowed to mix with the lake or stream. Inside this zone, contaminant levels might be higher than what is normally allowed, relying on the lake to dilute it over distance.
For a resident of Melgund Township, this raises practical questions: Where exactly are these zones? Will fish hang out in these warmer discharge plumes? If they do, could contaminants build up in the fish we eat? We need these zones mapped out clearly so we understand the real-world impact on our lifestyle.
Have Your Say
This affects our future. Submit your feedback on this specific issue via our Engage page to ensure the Impact Assessment Agency hears from our community.
The Melgund Integrated Nuclear Impact Assessment Project
The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) is reviewing the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s (NWMO) proposed Deep Geological Repository (DGR) at the Revell Site, located near Ignace and Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation in Northwestern Ontario.
This major nuclear infrastructure project is undergoing a joint federal review by the IAAC and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to evaluate environmental, health, social, and Indigenous rights impacts over its projected 160-year lifecycle.
Public Feedback Open: Comments on the Initial Project Description are accepted until February 4, 2026. Submissions help shape the formal impact assessment guidelines.
This short article and summary is based on an initial analysis of a proponent’s initial project description. It does not represent, any community the NWMO or the Government of Canada. Learn more at the Melgund Integrated Nuclear Impact Assessment Project project page.
About the Author
