Knowing that Waterloo Region…

Knowing that Waterloo Region relies primarily on ground water for its water supply, I am extremely alarmed by anything which threatens its amount or quality, such as the proposal to streamline water takings for construction site dewatering, actions under consideration in ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6853.

For years, I've worried about all the dewatering that goes on whenever undergound parking is built in Waterloo. Historically, Uptown Waterloo was a swamp and a series of springs, so it's no surprise that builders pump thousands and thousands of liters of clean, clear, drinkable water out of their excavations, for months at a time. Currently there is a limit of 50,000 litres a day, and builders have to consult the public and notify conservation authorities.

If ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-6853 goes ahead, anyone can pump out 400,000 litres a day, without any need to get permission or even tell conservation authorities or the public. Just register on the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry!!

Guelph, Wellington County and Orangeville are already worried about their water supply not being able to keep up with demand. Why should we risk a future that could force anyone in Ontario to depend on importing bottled water?

Please do not implement this policy.