Let’s halt Nestlé’s water drain
Re Tapped out, Dec. 17 Aside from the fact that we live in Erin and will be personally affected by Nestlé’s gross, industrial draining of the aquifer, we are opposed to any major activity that affects water sources from which we, or anyone else, gets their daily water.
Human nature is such that we only act once it’s too late. Let’s not wait until then. If Nestlé (or any company) is allowed to take large amounts of water from the aquifer, there will come a point when the resource is insufficient for people’s homes. There is no turning back from that and properties will then be worthless.
I don’t believe any of Nestlé’s claims to the contrary. What Nestlé pays today for the privilege is unacceptable, but should be unacceptable at any price.
We should not be using disposable plastic water bottles to begin with. The cost of using plastic affects landfills, oceans and the environment in myriad of ways. We had better smarten up very quickly, before it’s too late. Philip Green, Erin
For the good of our environment and our communities’ well-being, Environment Minister Jeff Yurek must ban Nestlé (and any other companies) from taking Ontario water for bottling. Ontario communities have the right to expect their water to be solely for their population’s use and the government should not be able to sell rights to their water out from under them.
Nestlé disrupts our ecosystems by draining our water.
The bottles themselves harm our environment. The Ottawa-based Polaris Institute, a non-profit organization, estimates only 14 per cent of plastic water bottles get recycled in Ontario and that the remainder end up in landfills, or littering our forests, lakes, and oceans, killing a massive number of marine creatures. Add to that the damage the water bottling process itself does to our air.
Our government needs to protect its constituents and not put corporate interests and greed ahead of our wellbeing. Susan Ross, London, Ont.
As residents who depend on this groundwater, we are concerned that large-scale pumping will result in future shortages, particularly as our communities grow rapidly in future decades. In addition, the agricultural activities, residences and workplaces surrounding the growing urban areas depend upon sufficient groundwater for living and productivity.
Many larger communities depend on water that is taken directly from the river. Even those places may see their water supply dwindling because much of this water starts off as groundwater.
We are fortunate to have water that is safe to drink flowing from our faucets at very low cost. We need to develop the habit of filling reusable water containers when we know that we might be needing it rather than expecting to buy a bottle. Bottled water should be kept for emergency situations and circumstances where safe tap water is unavailable.
Allowing Nestlé to pump huge quantities of groundwater from this, and any, watershed will benefit Nestlé and its shareholders but to the detriment and deprivation of those who need that water to live and work. Chris Hannell, Tez Darnell, Elora, Ont.
As a resident of Elora, I am very concerned with whether the provincial government will choose to act in the best interests of the citizens. Population growth, climate change and the accumulation of plastics in the environment all give adequate reason to phase out single-use disposable water bottles. Nestlé’s terrible track record of business practices globally give adequate reason to be highly skeptical of their comments. Emilie Norrie, Elora, Ont.
This industrial-scale water taking venture must not be allowed to continue destabilizing the basic human right of equal access to safe water, especially in Canada.
This is just one misuse of our water, but it sets a precedent for many other corporate schemes that are likely being considered, especially now in Ontario. We must stop this ridiculous cycle in Canada of allowing industries to hold small, cash-strapped municipalities hostage. Michael Douglas, Brechin
Water is not a commodity, but a human right. Plastic bottles fill up our landfill, pollute our environment and contribute to climate change. For most of us, our tap water is safe and healthy. Those who take bottled water from our ground water should only be allowed to take enough to supply communities who do not have safe drinking water and to have a supply on hand for short term use in case of natural disaster.
Continue to make the Ford government pay attention to the will of the people in this regard Rosemary Fry, Toronto
As a child in public school in Guelph, we were taught to be proud of our valued water supply. It is time we woke up and realized that the precious resource of quality drinking water needs to be conserved and protected in perpetuity, not given away to corporations.
One of the worst things we can do is to put our water into plastic bottles that have proven to be a devastating source of pollution. There is nothing good about the continued abuse of community drinking water sources. Please stop giving away our Ontario water. It belongs to communities. Anne Vaughan, Hammonds Plains, N.S.
We are also very concerned about bottled-water taking permits in our area of the Oak Ridges Moraine. We suffered a Level 2 drought for six months in 2016 where wells went dry, farmers’ livestock and crops suffered and their insurance premiums increased. The two bottled water permit holders in Northumberland County could voluntarily reduce their water takings, but we don’t know if they did or if the province even monitored them.
They pay a pittance for our water and sell if for great profit, their single use plastic bottles litter our land and oceans, and they take the water we need out of our water cycle. Water is a commons, like air, and should not be sold for profit especially when it is taking water away from municipalities, farms and individuals who need it to survive.
We support the banning of single use bottled water and the termination of their water taking permits across Ontario. Faye McFarlane, Baltimore, Ont.
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