Township issues demolition permit to BlueTriton

Company says it's taking down Middlebrook well building because it's unstable, attracts vandals

ELORA – Centre Wellington Township has issued a demolition permit to BlueTriton Brands, allowing the water bottling company to take down a derelict structure on its property at 7334 Middlebrook Road, the site of a proposed well.

“The building owned by Triton Water Holdings Canada Inc., (operating as BlueTriton Brands) has been unoccupied and condemned for more than five years,” natural resource manager Dr. Andreanne Simard stated in an email.

“The building will be demolished to ground level only and the foundation will remain in place.”

Simard said the main building is being demolished as it has become structurally unstable and a magnet for vandalism, to the point that OPP have been called to respond.

Nestle Waters Canada purchased the land in 2016 with a plan to pump water from the well for its bottling facility in Aberfoyle.

The plan is opposed by local activist group Save Our Water, whose members are worried about the environmental implications and the impact on the township’s water supply.

The township is looking for new wells to supply its growing population and in fact tried to purchase the Middlebrook property years ago, but well after Nestle Waters had already made a conditional offer on it.

Nestle Waters applied for a permit to take 1.6 million litres of water a day at the site but the province put a moratorium on new water-taking permits while it reviewed its policies.

Earlier this year BlueTriton purchased Nestle Waters Canada.

Also in 2021, the province completed its review and released new regulations on water-taking permits. Now permits won’t be given without municipal approval.

Centre Wellington had already declared it is not a willing host community for any new commercial water bottling operation.

That means BlueTriton can’t pump the 1.6 million litres a day it had applied for. But according to another regulation, it could pump up to 370,000 litres a day if it decided to recommission the well.

Simard said the demolition is a safety measure and has nothing to do with site preparations for water-taking activity.

“There is no commercial activity of any kind conducted at the site and none planned,” she said.

Simard added the wellhead was reconstructed three years ago and it will be protected during the demolition work.

“It continues to be secured in its own temperature-controlled and secure well house on site.”

She note the township approved the permit and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is aware of the demolition.

“We have also contacted the neighbouring property owners and the OPP to inform them of the demolition,” Simard said.