21 Oct 2025 To Whom It May…

To Whom It May Concern,
Re: Opposition to the Proposed Amendment to Permit to Take Water No. 3210-AKRL9C

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed amendment to Permit to Take Water No. 3210-AKRL9C, which would allow the continuous withdrawal of up to 5 million litres of water per day, 365 days a year, for a 10-year period from the Wash Pond for aggregate washing purposes.
While I understand the need for responsible industrial operations, the scale and duration of this proposed water taking pose serious and long-term risks to the local ecosystem, groundwater reserves, and community water security.

Environmental Concerns
A Category 3 Permit, by definition, represents the highest potential for unacceptable environmental impact or interference. This classification alone should trigger heightened scrutiny and public concern. Removing such a significant volume of water from a local pond—continuously and year-round—threatens to disrupt the delicate balance of surrounding aquatic habitats, wetlands, and groundwater recharge systems. Reduced water levels could harm fish, amphibians, and plant species that depend on this water body and its connected watershed.

Cumulative and Long-Term Impacts
Aggregate washing operations often result in water contamination through sediment, oils, and fine particulate runoff. Even if some of the water is recycled within the process, cumulative withdrawals and discharges over ten years will degrade water quality, reduce oxygen levels, and alter temperature balances vital to aquatic life. The proposal does not adequately address how these impacts will be mitigated or monitored.

Community and Climate Implications
In a time of increasing climate variability, protecting our local water sources is more important than ever. Droughts, changing precipitation patterns, and increased demand all heighten the need for conservation—not industrial-scale extraction. Approving this permit would set a troubling precedent, prioritizing short-term industrial benefit over long-term ecological and community well-being.

Request for Reconsideration
Given the Category 3 risk, the high extraction rate, and the lack of demonstrated sustainable mitigation, I respectfully request that this amendment be denied. Instead, I urge the Ministry to require a comprehensive environmental impact assessment, transparent public consultation, and exploration of less harmful alternatives before any further consideration.

Our shared responsibility is to safeguard Ontario’s natural water systems for future generations. Allowing a high-risk, high-volume, year-round water taking of this scale is incompatible with that responsibility.

Thank you for considering my concerns.