, Eastern Passage

Cover Photo: Mobile Home: 2009. (Google Maps, 2012)

Table of Contents

Executive SummaryDisclaimerLimitationsAcknowledgments1.0 Introduction2.0 Scope and Methodology3.0 Site Description

3.1. General Description3.2. Site Location3.3. Site Ownership3.4. Site Runoff3.5. Receiving Environments3.6. Local Geology and Soils

4.0 Site Background4.1. Historical Land Uses4.2. Former Surrounding Land Development4.3. Past Environmental Concerns4.4. Current Land Use

5.0 Site Investigation5.1. Interior Site Investigation:

5.1.1. Master Bed Room5.1.2. Second Bed Room5.1.3. Kitchen5.1.4. Living Room5.1.5. Main Bathroom5.1.6. Laundry Room

5.2. Exterior Site Investigation5.2.1. Property5.2.2. Shed5.2.3. Exterior of Building/Roof

6.0 Utilities6.1. Power6.2. Communications6.3. Heat

7.0 Summary of Findings8.0 Conclusion and Recommendations9.0 ReferencesAppendix AAppendix B

List of Figure

Figure 1 Mobile home location Figure 2: Contours of land surrounding the mobile homeFigure 3 Soil geology of mobile home.Figure 4 Bedrock geology of mobile home.Figure 5: Surface mould around master bedroom window.Figure 6: Rust around toilet pipe in master bedroom bathroom. Figure 7: Water damage around bathtub in master bedroom bathroom. Figure 8: Surface mould around skylight in master bedroom bathroom. Figure 9: Surface mould on window, 2nd bedroom.Figure 10: Water stained window, 2nd bedroom. Figure 11: Surface mould around window, kitchen. Figure 12: Surface mould around skylight, kitchen. Figure 13: Physical damage to wall, kitchen.Figure 14: Water stain on ceiling, living room. Figure 15: Water stain ceiling, living room.Figure 16: Surface mould around window, living room. Figure 17: Surface mould around window, main bathroom.Figure 18: Mould by the corner of bathtub, main bathroom. Figure 19: Rust around toilet pipe, main bathroom. Figure 20: Rust on door hinge, main bathroom. Figure 21: Drainage hole put in place outside of property. Figure 22: Drainage ditch, outside of property.Figure 23: Water damage to shed.Figure 24: Mildew found around the outside of mobile home.Figure 25: Damaged siding, outside of mobile home.Figure 26: Missing siding, improperly stored chemicals.Figure 27: Electrical hazard under deck of mobile home.Figure 28: Missing steps by back door of mobile home.Figure 29: New plumbing under mobile home. Figure 30: Power and communication lines entering the mobile home.Figure 31: Drainage hole put in place outside of property. Figure 32: Drainage ditch, outside of property. Figure 33: Water damage to shed. Figure 34: Mildew found around the outside of mobile home. Figure 35: Damaged siding, outside of mobile home.Figure 36: Missing siding, improperly stored chemicals.Figure 37: Electrical hazard under deck of mobile home. Figure 38: Missing steps by back door of mobile home. Figure 39: New plumbing under mobile home. Figure 40: Power and communication lines entering the mobile home.

List of Tables

Table 1: Summary of Interior Findings and Their Priority 22Table 2: Summary of Exterior Findings and Their Priority 23

Executive Summary

As part of the Environmental Site Assessment course for Environmental Engineering Technology – Water Resources (ENTG) a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) to be done individually was assigned on January 6, 2012. This inspection was done on a mobile home owned by Todd De Jong. This inspection took place and was completed on March 9, 2012.

The objective of the Phase 1 ESA was to identify potential sources of contamination, both past and present land use, identify damages to the building, and identify any hazards the mobile home has that may affect the environment and the public. The Canadian Standards Association guidelines for Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (Z768-01) were followed during the inspection. (Canadian Standards Association, 2001)

The site is located at 21 Pine Street, Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia. To the North there are more mobile homes and beyond them is a wooded area where an old train track has been converted into a walking path. To the West there is profile blasting and coating business and a heaving machinery contracting business. To the East are mostly mobile homes. Pine Street connects with Caldwell Road which has mostly residential housing.

The Phase 1 ESA indicates that there may have been some past contamination from a sewage leak from under the mobile home. The mobile home itself is in good condition, but there are some minor concerns. There was mould found under and around most windows and rusty fixtures around the toilets. There was a patch job done in the master bedroom bathroom on the wall of the tube where water damaged the wall. The exterior of the mobile home had mildew and some broken or missing siding. The sheds’ back wall has been damaged by water and the structure has been affected. The damages and hazards found during the ESA and in addition to the recommendations made, should aid in the prevention of health issues and future damage to the mobile home.

Disclaimer

This assessment will now and always be used for the purpose of course development; it will not now or ever be used in a legal environmental complaint against Todd De Jong (mobile owner) and S. Fredericks (land owner).

Limitations

There were no limitations while conducting this ESA.

Acknowledgments

Todd De Jong of the ENTG program would like to thank and acknowledge these individuals for their assistance and cooperation in the completion of this ESA project. Todd De Jong, the owner of the mobile, Tanya Kidney and her son Kyle Collier, the occupants of said mobile home. S. Fredericks the owner of the land. Todd would also like to thank Mr. Paul Batson, for providing the building blocks for the formation of an Environmental Site Assessment.

1.0 Introduction

A Phase 1 ESA is the first of three phase assessments that maybe done to a property. It consists of gathering background information on the site, assessing the properties’ hazards and damages, and identifying any potential contamination. A phase 1 ESA does not go in-depth with the assessment. There are no samples taken or remediation of a contaminated site. Its soul purpose is to identify structure issues, damages; hazards and potential contamination of the environment then recommend solutions for the identified concerns.

On March 9, 2012 a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment commenced on the mobile home of 21 Pine St. Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia (Cover Photo). The ESA inspection was completed on the same date.

The report includes detailed descriptions and select photographs of findings of the mobile home and surrounding outside property. A visual inspection of the mobile home, mobile homes’ roof and surrounding outdoor property as per required in a Phase 1 ESA. Interviews conducted with mobile home owner, property owner, and residents of mobile home were conducted and are include in appendixes. Background information obtained include: geology of area, land-use (historic and current), and utilities in use.

All information gathered for this Environmental Site Assessment will be used to make the appropriate recommendations for the mobile home.

2.0 Scope and Methodology

All inspections and procedures were done in general accordance with the Environmental Management – Environmental Assessment of Sites and Organizations.

During the course of the inspection of the interior the following concerns were recorded:

Mould around windows Water damaged bathtub Water Stains on ceiling Rust on toilet fixture

Some of the exterior concerns were found to be:

Bad drainage Damaged and missing siding Water damage to shed

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Interviews conducted with persons that are affiliated with the mobile home and property shared information on the conditions of the mobile home and property. They also provided information about the historic land-use, adjacent land-use and their concerns on these subjects.

3.0 Site Description

3.1 General Description

This mobile home was built over twenty years ago and has been on the parks lot for the same amount of time. The mobile is propped up on blocks in a level manner. The mobile home is approximately 1000 square feet and has a master bedroom with bathroom, a second bedroom, kitchen, living room, main bathroom and laundry room. Its utilities connected to municipal power, water, and sewage.

3.2 Site Location

The mobile home is located at 21 Pine St. Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia as shown in Figure 1. It sits atop of block on its lot. It is approximately 1000 square feet, and the lot its self is 5000 square feet. The mobile home is surrounded by other mobile homes as it is in a mobile home park. There are heavy machinery businesses to the West and wooded area to the North with a walking path.

3.3 Site Ownership

This site is owned by Mr. S. Fredericks

3.4 Site Runoff

The site gets the majority of the runoff from other mobile homes and streets as it is in an area of low elevation, as shown in figure 2. There has been drainage pipes put in place to help lessen the runoff along the roads on either side of the site and there is a drain at the end of the driveway of

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Figure 41 mobile home location (Google Maps, 2012)

the mobile, shown in figure 21. This runoff then flows down Pine Street towards the wooded area.

3.5 Receiving Environment

The major receiving environments from the mobile home are other mobiles homes down slope and the wooded area to the North of the mobile homes. Any runoff to the other mobile homes and wooded area would have an effect to their environments and may leach through soil and contaminate soil and groundwater.

3.6 Local Geology and Soils

The mobile home has a undulating to gently rolling topography which slopes towards a wooded area behind the park (Figure 1, 2). This site is part of the Hantsport series of soils (Figure 3), which consists of dark sandy clay loam to sandy clay loam over reddish-brown sandy clay loam. This soil has imperfect drainage. Evidence in the past suggests that this was a concern and was dealt with, by the placing of drainage pipes. Most of the soil is derived from its bedrock parent material. The bedrock is part of the Goldenville formation with sandstone turbidites, and slate continental rise prisms (Figure 4).

Figure 42: Contours of land surrounding the mobile home (The Atlas of Canada, 2010)

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Site of mobile home

Figure 43 Soil geology of mobile home. (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2011)

Figure 44 Bedrock geology of mobile home. (Nova Scotia Canada Natural Resources, 2011)

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4.0 Site Background

4.1 Historic Land Uses

About 40 years ago, the site which the mobile home sites atop of was undeveloped. The first person to own the land was L.J. Fredericks. This land was then developed by L.J. Fredericks Limited into a mobile home park in the 1970s. The sites mobile home was placed on its current lot approximately 20 years ago.

4.2 Former Surrounding Land Development

Surrounding the mobile home is other mobile homes, which have been in place for roughly the same amount of time. Residential homes and business are along Caldwell road which have been in place since the 1970s. Some newer developments for residential homes are located on Caldwell road also.

4.3 Past Environmental Concerns

After reviewing both historic land uses and former surrounding land development, there are no past environmental concerns. Due to all sites having been undeveloped both their current states, and that most sites were developed around the same time.

4.4 Current Land Use

Currently the mobile home is in a mobile home park with many other mobile homes. For the most part it is in a residential area with two businesses having to do with heavy machinery to the West along Caldwell Rd.

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5.0 Site Investigation

5.1 Interior Investigation

All location for concerns can be found in the Site Sketch in Appendix B for the interior investigation.

5.1.1 Master Bedroom

For the most part most of the things identified in the master bedroom were minor and more of an aesthetic issue. Surface mould was found around the window and window sill (Figure 5). Surface mould was also found around the skylight in the master bedroom bathroom (Figure 6).Some rust was found around the water intake pipe for the toilet (Figure 8). The main issue found was water damage around the bathtub in the master bedroom bathroom (Figure 7). There may be further unseen damages behind wall from the water damage.

Figure 45: Surface mould around master bedroom window. (De Jong – 2012)

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Figure 46: Surface mould around skylight in master bedroom bathroom. (De Jong - 2012)

Figure 47: Water damage around bathtub in master bedroom bathroom. (De Jong - 2012)

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Figure 48: Rust around toilet pipe in master bedroom bathroom. (De Jong - 2012)

5.1.2 Second Bedroom

The second bedroom had surface mould around all three windows and window sills (Figure 9). Again it is a very minor concern and mostly an aesthetic issue. There was a water stain on the middle window sill (Figure 10) and this has a higher concern due to not being able to see full extent of the issue.

Figure 49: Surface mould on window, 2nd bedroom. (De Jong - 2012)

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Figure 50: Water stained window, 2nd bedroom. (De Jong - 2012)

5.1.3 Kitchen

The kitchen had similar issues as though in pervious rooms, with surface mould on one window (Figure 11) and the skylight (Figure 12). Again a minor issue with more of an aesthetic issue. There was physical damage done to a wall (Figure 13) by the main door in the kitchen.

Figure 51: Surface mould around window, kitchen. (De Jong - 2012)

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Figure 52: Surface mould around skylight, kitchen. (De Jong - 2012)

Figure 53: Physical damage to wall, kitchen. (De Jong - 2012)

5.1.4 Living Room

The living room had some high concern areas, two water stains were found on the ceiling (Figure 14, 15). During interviews it was found that these water stains were from a water leak that has been fixed. Surface mould was found again around the window and window sill (Figure 16).

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Figure 54: Water stain on ceiling, living room. (De Jong - 2012)

Figure 55: Water stain ceiling, living room. (De Jong)

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Figure 56: Surface mould around window, living room. (De Jong)

5.1.5 Main Bathroom

The main bathroom had some minor to medium concerns found. There was surface mould around the window and wind sill (Figure 17), but mould was also found in a corner by the bathtub. The mould in the corner is more of a concern as it may indicate mould in wall and this is a health risk (Figure 18). Rust was also found by a pipe for the toilet and rust was found on the hinges for the door (Figure 19, 20).

Figure 57: Surface mould around window, main bathroom. (De Jong - 2012)

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Figure 58: Mould by the corner of bathtub, main bathroom. (De Jong - 2012)

Figure 59: Rust around toilet pipe, main bathroom. (De Jong – 2012)

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Figure 60: Rust on door hinge, main bathroom. (De Jong - 2012)

5.1.6 Laundry Room

No issues were found in the laundry room.

5.2 Exterior Investigation

All location for concerns can be found in the Property Site Sketch in Appendix B for the exterior investigation.

5.2.1 Property

The main and only concern for the mobiles property was drainage. This plot of land is in a low laying spot for the area and there is a lot of runoff from the park that makes it way to the lot. Drainage pipes and ditches have been put into place to help with the issue (Figure 21, 22), but the property is still pretty saturated through all seasons.

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Figure 61: Drainage hole put in place outside of property. (De Jong - 2012)

Figure 62: Drainage ditch, outside of property. (De Jong - 2012)

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5.2.2 Shed

The back of the shed had been damaged by water (Figure 23) and it felt as if the water damage had affected its structure.

Figure 63: Water damage to shed. (De Jong - 2012)

5.2.3 Exterior of Building/Roof

The exterior of building had some minor to medium concerns. There was mildew found all around the siding of the mobile home (Figure 24). There were some damaged siding and some missing pieces of siding (Figure 25, 26). This is a concern because it gives access to underneath the mobile home for small rodents and exposes it to the elements.

Impurely stored chemicals were found (Figure 26) and an electrical hazard was found under the deck (Figure 27). Multiple electric cords were found running along underneath the deck which were tied into the lights for the deck. These electric cords were just interior extension cords that

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were not meant of exterior use. The back door had no steps to the ground (Figure 28) and this is a fire hazard.

The mobile home had relatively new plumbing for the sewer line underneath it (Figure 29). This is due to a pervious sewage leak that happened approximately three years ago. This was fixed, but may have contaminated the area.

The roof showed no signs of damage or leakage.

Figure 64: Mildew found around the outside of mobile home. (De Jong - 2012)

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Figure 65: Damaged siding, outside of mobile home. (De Jong - 2012)

Figure 66: Missing siding, improperly stored chemicals. (De Jong - 2012)

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Figure 67: Electrical hazard under deck of mobile home. (De Jong - 2012)

Figure 68: Missing steps by back door of mobile home. (De Jong - 2012)

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Figure 69: New plumbing under mobile home. (De Jong - 2012)

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6.0 Utilities

6.1 Power

Power lines come from a power pole which then enters the mobile by the back door (Figure 30). It then enters the laundry room into a panel, where power is then distributed throughout the mobile home via the electric panel.

Figure 70: Power and communication lines entering the mobile home. (De Jong - 2012)

6.2 Communication

The communication lines enter at the same place as the power line, by the back door (Figure 30). They consist of a telephone line and a cable line. They enter the laundry room into a panel, where they are then distributed throughout the mobile home.

6.3 Heat

The mobile home is heated by electric base board heaters. These boards are found in every room, there may be multiple per room depending on size. They are usually located under windows.

6.4 Water and Sewer

The water is provided by the municipal water source. It enters the mobile home via pipe which lies below the building.

Sewage leaves the mobile home through a sewage pipe. This pipe which lies below the building then flows to a municipal sewage facility.

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7.0 Summary of Findings

Interior of Mobile Home

Refer to Site Sketch

Table 1 Summary of Interior Findings and Their Priority

Location Findings PriorityMaster Bedroom o surface mould around

windowo surface mould around

skylighto water damage around

bathtubo rust around toilet pipe

Low

Low

Medium-High

Medium

Second Bedroom o surface mould around all three windows

o water stain on the second window

Low

Low-Medium

Kitchen o surface mould around skylight

o surface mould around window facing deck

o damaged wall by door

Low

Low

Low

Living Room o multiple water stains on ceiling

o surface mould around window

Medium-High

Low

Main Bathroom o surface mould around window

o mould in corner by bathtub

o rust on toilet pipeo rust on door hinges

Low

Medium-High

MediumMedium

Laundry Room o no findings N/A

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Exterior of Mobile Home

Refer to Property Sketch

Table 2 Summary of Exterior Findings and Their Priority

Location Findings PriorityProperty o drainage Medium-HighShed o water damage to back High Exterior Building/Roof o mildew all over

o multiple damaged siding pieces

o multiple missing siding pieces

o improperly stored chemicals

o mould by front dooro missing stairs by back

dooro electrical hazard under

deck

LowLow-Medium

Medium-High

Medium-High

LowHigh

Medium

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8.0 Conclusion and Recommendations

Overall the mobile home is in good condition, there are some concerns to be considered and addressed. Major concern is the past sewage leak that may of contaminated the area, further testing should be done to find out if the soils and groundwater in the area is contaminated. Then the appropriate action should be taken if site is contaminated. Another main concern is the drainage; although measures have been taken to help with drainage further steps may need to be taken to lessen the saturation of the property and to maintain the integrity of the mobile home’s foundation. The water damaged shed should have its back panel replaced. As for the interior of mobile home, more air circulation could help cope with the surface mould; an updated bathroom fan would help cure the mould issues there. If these mould issues are left untreated they may pose a health risk. For the water stained ceiling and master bedroom bathroom’s bathtub wall, further investigation should be under taken to establish how much water damage there may be. Again there maybe health risks because water stains may indicate further damage and or mould growth. Upon review of these recommendations, there is no need for further investigation.

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References

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (2011, November, 3). SOIL SURVEY OF HALIFAX COUNTY (REPRINTED 1981). retrieved January 24 2012, from http://sis2.agr.gc.ca/cansis/publications/surveys/ns/ns13b/index.html

Canadian Standards Association, 2001. Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment.

ENTG Class of 2012. 2012. Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment.

Google Maps, 2012. Satellite View of 21 Pine St. Retrieved March 9, 2012 from http://maps.google.ca/

Google Maps, 2012. Street View of 21 Pine St. Retrieved March 9, 2012 from http://maps.google.ca/

Nova Scotia Canada Natural Resources (2011, February, 8). Map ME 2000-001: Geological Map of the Province of Nova Scotia [1:500 000]. Retrieved January 24 2012, from http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/meb/download/mg/map/htm/map_2000-001.asp

Topographic Map of Easternpassage, Nova Scotia. 2010. Map. The Atlas of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. 2010. Accessed: March 9, 2012. Retrieved from: http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/topographicmap_savemap?imageurl=http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/tmp/ntdb_mspaserv461133133735723830.png

Appendix A: Interview Sheets

Appendix B: Building Plan and Site Map