The Town of Erin will be letting the province know they do not support bottled water companies taking water from their municipality. Town council approved a motion from Councillor Bridget Ryan on Thursday that directs staff to tell the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks that the town is “an unwilling host” and does not support renewing water taking permits within the town’s boundaries. Ryan’s motion also asks the province to impose a moratorium on new and renewed permit applications that allow taking water for bottling. It comes as the province is considering a renewal proposal from White Wolf Property Management Inc. If approved, the company would draw water from a well on Concession 7 in Erin. They would be limited to 1,113,000 litres per day for a 10-year period. White Wolf Property Management is owned by the family that runs the bottled water business Ice River Sustainable Solutions, which is also known as Ice River Springs. It is the parent company of Ice River Green Bottle Co., which supplies water in distinctive green bottles to many stores throughout Canada. Before the motion was voted on, several residents stepped forward and urged councillors to protect the area’s water sources. “I believe we have an obligation to look beyond the permit in front of us and consider the generations who will inherit the consequences of the decisions we make today,” Sarah Prevette, a concerned resident, said. “The writing is on the wall. We are quietly transitioning from being water-rich to water-poor and this makes our growing population and the beauty of our town at risk,” Sabrina Malach, another concerned resident said. Water Watchers, an organization dedicated to water protection across the Great Lakes, also delegated. Dani Lindamood, Water Watchers campaigns and communications director, criticized how the province has handled water taking permits in the past. “There will be a reckoning for this failure in the future, because water systems have real limits and communities across Ontario will feel those effects,” Lindamood said. She referenced issues in nearby Waterloo Region, where a water capacity constraint issue was identified in the Mannheim Service Area. That issue was not related to bottled water operations. “Waterloo identified water capacity issues just under a year ago. They’re one of the best studied and best managed water systems in the world, but groundwater and hydrological sciences are also imprecise, based on best guesses and modelling of systems that we can’t directly observe and map,” she said. “So, there’s an added layer of uncertainty when it comes to water budget data, underlying the need to apply precautionary principles for water management and policies – especially in groundwater-dependent communities like Erin.” She called bottling water “a frivolous use” of the community’s resources. “You’re not dealing with Nestle anymore” Representatives for Ice River Sustainable Solutions also appeared at the meeting. “I just have to make sure that we know you’re not dealing with Nestle anymore,” Crystal Gott, Ice River Sustainable Solution’s vice president of sustainability and government relations, said. She was referencing a contentious relationship between Nestle and local municipalities, including Erin. Activists repeatedly urged the provincial government to deny their water-taking permits. Eventually, Nestle Canada Inc., sold its Pure Life bottled water business to Ice River Springs. “We were a part of all of that as well, hearing a lot of what was happening with Nestle back in the day,” Crystal Gott said. “We’re an open book. We’ve had the council in to visit us. We don’t want to hide anything. You’re welcome to come visit our facilities, and that stands for anybody that wants to see what happens there.” Ice River Sustainable Solutions is known for its recycling program that produces bright green bottles. While Erin’s councillors praised the company for that arm of the business, they still struggled with the idea of allowing the water taking permits to continue. “I honestly believe your family is doing a lot of good with your leading edge recycling plastic and your website reads ‘…world’s most precious resource, you’ve got to be green.’ What resource are you referring to?” Councillor Ryan questioned. “Water,” Crystal answered. “That resource is water. It is a precious resource and I think what you don’t understand from the organics piece of it is we buy the land around the source - Feversham for example - and protect it from any incoming issues – pesticides and so on. But what you have to realize is this is the hand that feeds. We would never want to negatively impact anything.” Sandy Gott, the co-owner of Ice River Sustainable Solutions, also spoke at the meeting. She said they are dedicated to protecting and maintaining their water sources, because without them, they wouldn’t have a business. “We take great pride in protecting our sources,” Sandy Gott said. “So that can be protecting it from any type of, as Crystal said, artificial fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and then also making sure that our taking is sustainable” Sandy Gott noted water taking permits include stipulations that require the company to reduce the amount of water they take in the event of a drought, or if their operations began impacting nearby wells. Provincial decision Ultimately, Ryan’s motion was approved unanimously, but the province has the final say on water taking permits and renewals. “I’ve been calling for a moratorium on all new water taking permits or renewals for bottled water operations, especially in communities in Wellington County, Waterloo Region, that rely on groundwater for our drinking water,” Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario, said. “The permit to take water process is broken. It needs to prioritize drinking water for people and water for farmers to grow the food that feeds us over these billion dollar companies.” The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks confirmed they are considering Ice River Sustainable Solutions’ proposal. The permit renewal application remains under review. The Ministry will consider all comments received prior to making a decision," a statement from the Ministry said. White Wolf Property Management is also trying to renew a permit to take water from a well at 101 Brock Road South in Puslinch.
