Category Archives: Hillsburgh

Latest on Nestle Legal Battle to Keep Drought Time Water Pumping Restrictions in Place

Last fall, the Ministry of the Environment (“MOE”) renewed Nestlé’s Permit To Take Water for the well site which it operates in Hillsburgh.  As part of this renewal, the MOE placed mandatory restrictions on the amount of water that Nestlé would be allowed to pump during drought conditions.  Nestlé appealed these restrictions to the Environmental Review Tribunal.

In February of this year, Wellington Water Watchers (“WWW”) partnered up with the Council of Canadians (“COC”) to seek Party status in the appeal, with both groups receiving representation from Ecojustice.  At the preliminary hearing, despite the objections of both Nestlé and the … Read the rest

A Letter from the Friends of Hillsburgh Water

Last spring you attended a showing of “BOTTLED LIFE” at the Erin Legion and I felt you deserved an update.

Nestle had applied for a ten year renewal of the existing permit, but also requested a “spike rate” of an additional 10% on the maximum quantity withdrawn. Despite significant public disapproval and Erin Council voting against the renewal, a permit renewal for five years was indeed granted by the Ministry of the Environment (Sept). The permit renewal included mandatory reductions as to the amount of water that could be drawn during periods of level 1 and level 2

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Join WWW and Friends of Hillsburgh Water for Bottled Life at the Festival of Moving Media

Despite considerable concern and opposition in the community, on September 28th this year Nestle Waters’ permit to take 1.1 million litres of water per day from a well near Hillsburgh, Ontario was renewed. Since then, Nestle Waters has filed an appeal that challenges provisions of the permit that would place mandatory restrictions on its water-taking operations during periods of drought.

Join us on Thursday November 1 for a public screening of the film Bottled Life along with a short presentation from Nick Green of Friends of Hillsburgh Water on their ongoing efforts to challenge Nestle’s water taking in Hillsburgh.

When:     … Read the rest

Request for Review to the MOE

The Wellington Water Watchers in partnership with the Council of Canadians and with full endorsement from The Polaris Institute, submitted a Request for Review (RFR) to the Environment Commissioner in March.  This RFR focused on the need to revamp the permit to take water (pttw) process as it applies to the bottled water industry and challenged the MOE’s statement of environmental values that we believe were not being honoured.  Other concerns centred on the continuous flow of trucks and related pollution and lowering of quality of life for those affected, and the long term effects of climate change on water … Read the rest

Rural Outreach

We have been active with Friends of Hillsburgh water and the recent campaign regarding Nestle’s latest permit renewal.  The community in the Erin and Hillsburgh area have been very active with large numbers of concerned citizens attending movie nights, council meeting and more.   We await the decision of the MOE regarding this permit where up to 1.1 million litres of water are trucked 50kms to the Nestle plant in Aberfoyle.… Read the rest

Friends of Hillsburgh Water pack council chambers to address Nestle permit

by Mike Robinson


http://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/index.cfm?page=detail&itmno=12103

ERIN

It appears Hillsburgh Water has a lot of friends.

On May 1, council chambers were again packed with members of Friends of Hillsburgh Water (FHW) and those interested in the Nestle Waters proposal to extend its local water drawing permit by 10 years.

The delegation appeared to have a supportive contingent on council; however, the final decision ultimately does not lie with council.

Brochures distributed by FHW stated, “We’re a group of town of Erin citizens acting to protect our local water, ensuring there’s a pure, abundant supply of this precious resource now and for … Read the rest

Please take a moment to let your voice be heard!

Pass Or Fail?

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  1. When the MOE considers a permit like Hillsburgh’s,it focuses solely on water-taking – not resource depletion, air pollution, noise pollution, infrastructure degradation, solid waste generation, reduction in property values along trucking routes, safety risks, and so on..Does this live up to the following MOE Statement of Environmental Values?

    “The Ministry considers the cumulative effects on the environment; the interdependence of air, land, water and living organisms.”

    PASS       FAIL   ✓
  2. “The Ministry considers the effects of its decisions on current & future generations, consistent with sustainable development principles”Does bottled water pass this test?
    PASS       FAIL   ✓

Request for Review of the Permit To Take Water process for the Bottled Water Industry

This Request for Review is a document submitted to the Ministry of the Environment jointly by the Wellington Water Watchers and the Council of Canadians and supported by the Polaris Institute. Although lengthy, it is a great overview on why the permitting process for the Bottled Water Industry as a whole needs to be overhauled. The arguments used within articulate why the Hillsburgh permit renewal flies completely in contradiction of the Ministry of the Environments (MOE) own Statement of Environmental Values (SEV’s). Please have a read through to more thoroughly understand our position:

ATTN: Environmental Commissioner of Ontario

1075 Bay Read the rest

Nestle and Our WATER

Current WATER project —
Subject: Hillsburgh, Nestle and Our WATER
Dear Mayor Maieron:
Please do not take this letter personally. I would be writing these words to anyone holding a position of responsibility in this community given the same circumstances. Water is a global issue and of prime importance to the world. We can begin by respecting WATER in our own community.
I am a mother, a grandmother and a concerned citizen. Politicians change, politics change, but our responsibility to the Earth, the inhabitants, and the Greater Good shall always remain as moral law. This is especially so for those Read the rest

Local groups challenge Nestlé water-taking in Hillsburgh

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 13, 2012

Local groups challenge Nestlé water-taking in Hillsburgh

In response to Nestlé Waters Canada’s application to renew its permit to take up to 1.1 million litres of water per day from Hillsburgh for its bottling plant in Aberfoyle, three local citizens’ groups have launched a campaign to stop or severely restrict the Nestlé permit.

Friends of Hillsburgh Water, the Climate Change Action Group of Erin and Wellington Water Watchers all believe this Nestlé permit – or any water-taking license for bottling purposes – represents a net loss to the environment and health of the planet, … Read the rest

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