While Friends of Elora Water have expressed concern with the Nestlé Waters proposal to purchase a local property and take over an existing water taking permit, the company states it is still in the “investigative portion” of the process.
John Challinor of Nestlé Waters corporate affairs explained the option to purchase is still under review.
“Investigations are continuing into the feasibility of the Middlebrook well to serve as a back-up or supplementary water source,” said Challinor.
The recently-formed Friends of Elora Water contend the community has become “ground zero in Canada’s battle for the right to safe clean drinking water.”
A growing online Facebook community now has more than 800 members. Meetings have grown from a handful of concerned citizens, to a packed house for the monthly “Water Wednesday Meeting” on May 20, where citizens from 8 to 80 filled the local Legion to fight for “water rights.”
Opponents state Nestlé’s planned expansion into the community would see 1.6 million litres of water pumped each day from the local watershed.
However, that amount already exists within the existing water taking permit, regardless of ownership.
“We all have water restrictions in the summer, while big companies can come in and ‘drain the well dry’ even during a drought,” Peter Skoggard, a concerned community member, stated in a press release.
Friends of Elora Water is calling on local government to help protect drinking water as the community’s most precious resource.
Founding member of Friends of Elora Water, Lindsay Bolger asks, “If we don’t stand up who will? Will you?”
Friends of Elora Water also asked why Centre Wellington Township has recently created a committee, with representatives from Nestle and the Ministry of the Environment, to look into the matter of water while excluding any voice from the people from Centre Wellington.
Challinor explains some of the information provided by the Friends of Elora Water is incorrect.
“This committee was not created by the Township of Centre Wellington. This committee was created by Nestlé Waters Canada in 2009 as part of its outreach to stakeholders,” he said.
“It is called the Nestlé Waters Canada Technical Stakeholders Committee. Hugh Whiteley from Wellington Water Watchers currently sits on the committee.”
Challinor further explained the NWC Technical Stakeholders Committee meets whenever Nestlé Waters Canada is investigating a potential water source or is preparing to apply for renewal of an existing permit.
“The membership of the committee changes based on the location of the water source that is being reviewed.”
Challinor noted the committee recently met to review and comment on the company’s work plan related to the Middlebrook matter.
Centre Wellington Mayor Kelly Linton has communicated his commitment to exploring the process that Nestlé Waters must undertake before they are permitted to take water at the existing Middlebrook Road water property in Elora.
“The authority to take water is regulated and managed solely by the Province of Ontario’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) and is regulated under the Ontario Water Resources Act, Section 34-34.11 and Ontario Regulation 387/04 (Water Taking and Transfer),” Linton stated.
“Currently, Nestlé Waters is in the process of completing a due diligence investigation to purchase the Middlebrook site. Nestlé Waters must satisfy all MOECC requirements before they will be permitted to take water under the existing water taking permit and/or allow for a new water taking permit.”
Linton stated the township does not have any authority in water taking.
“In fact, we must undertake the same strict water taking permit process through the MOECC for township water taking for our own municipal water supply,” said Linton.
There are extensive environmental investigations and reports that must be undertaken and approved by the MOECC prior to any water taking in the Ontario, which Linton said is one of the most heavily regulated jurisdictions when it comes to water taking activities.
