A Wawa-area man's concerns about orange-coloured water runoff leeching into Wawa Lake is being monitored by Ontario's Ministry of the Environment.
Joe Leadbetter became concerned when he noticed orange-coloured runoff entering a creek with the spring thaw. The water flowing from that creek ultimately ends up in Wawa Lake, a local drinking water source.
Those concerns led to a report being filed with the province's Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
In an email, ministry spokesperson Gary Wheeler confirmed the situation is being looked into.
"The ministry is aware of concerns about contaminants, such as iron and other metals, leaching from aggregate rock extracted from former iron ore operations in Wawa, potentially causing impacts to water courses and Wawa Lake," said Wheeler.
Wheeler said samples were taken earlier this month when ministry staff met with a concerned resident.
"The ministry is currently awaiting sample results," he said. "The ministry will continue to monitor the situation to help determine what actions may be needed to protect the environment."