A local environmental organization says it is not right that Guelph residents are forced by the city to conserve water, but large water takers such as Nestlé Waters Canada are not required to do so.
“Guelph is the largest city in Canada to rely 100% on groundwater for its drinking water,” states Arlene Slocombe, executive director of the Wellington Water Watchers, in a press release.
“The increasing impact of climate change is changing all the rules including on permits to take water.
“We can no longer afford to allow our community’s drinking water to be extracted by Nestlé and shipped out of our watershed for enormous profits.”
However, officials with Nestlé Waters, which has wells in Erin and Puslinch, say they are voluntarily abiding by recommendations of the Grand River Conservation Authority’s (GRCA) Low Water Response Team.
In July the group – consisting of major water users including municipalities, farms, golf courses, water bottlers, aggregate businesses, Six Nations and others – placed the Grand River watershed in a Level 1 condition.
Level 1 results in a request for a voluntary 10 per cent reduction in consumption by all water users.
“We take water management seriously and have over a decade of data that shows sustainable operations during all levels of precipitation,” stated Andreanne Simard, Nestlé Waters’ natural resource manager.
“The amount of water (Nestlé is) permitted to take is determined by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).”
Simard explained water restrictions are based on low precipitation and low flows in surface water.
“We do not use surface water, but take water from a deep groundwater aquifer.
“However, during a level 1 response we voluntarily limit our water taking to 90% of our monthly permitted maximums set by the MECP.”
Wellington Water Watchers officials say they will continue to question how the government of Ontario and Premier Doug Ford can allow Nestlé Waters to extract water from the aquifer on which Guelph and communities in Wellington County rely for their drinking water.
