The Province of Ontario is Charging Extra for Bottling Water
The province of Ontario is charging the water-bottling companies more than $500/million litres of water taken from the ground. This comes at a time when questions about the province’s ways of controlling the natural resources. Everyone is divided on this issue; some think it is good environmentally whilst others want a total ban on the bottling and selling of groundwater.
The Liberal government wants the fee to be at $503.71. The current charge is $3.71! The government is looking at other types of water-taking permits like those for industrial reasons. But Mike Nagy of the environmental group Wellington Water Watchers believes that the bottled water issue should be treated differently. Environmental Defense is gladdened by the increased fee. It also says that Ontario should safeguard the communities’ access to clean water and give more priority to agricultural uses of water over bottling it.
The group also calls on the province to place a deposit on plastic bottles like the ones on beer and liquor bottles. Ontario is already taking steps (other than the fee) to limit bottled water companies that are looking to renew their permits by suspending permits for the next 2 years. This comes after the Nestle Waters Canada bought a well that the Township of Centre Wellington wanted for its community that is on the increase.
The Council of Canadians has been vocal about the ban. It wants it to be permanent and suggests that Ontario phase out the current water-taking permits for bottling, completely.
The company has permits that allow it to take 3.6 million litres of water a day from the well in Aberfoyle within the province. It also has a bottling plant, and another 1.1 million litres a day from another well not far from the first, in Erin.
It also released a statement saying that it accepts the increase on the fee but does not agree with the fact that it along with other water bottling companies have a different set of rules.
Debbie Moore, CEO, and President of the company had this to say:
“In principle, we believe all groundwater users should be treated equally, but we understand and appreciate that opinions differ regarding the rates various water users should pay……Nestle Waters Canada agrees that water sustainability is non-negotiable and all investments in groundwater research are a positive step toward our shared prosperity and a sustainable future”.
Bottled-water permits count for only .001% of the amounts permitted to be withdrawn under all water-taking permits in the province.
The tap water is clean and therefore the people of Ontario don’t need to be bottled water. This is according to Premier Kathleen Wynne.
The provinces of B.C., Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador charge $2.50, $70 and $500 respectively. Newfoundland and Labrador also charge $5 for other commercial purposes.
The current $3.71 charge comes on top of a $750 for low to medium risk water takings and $3,000 for the takings that threaten the environment.
