The dried cracked bed of the Qaraoun artificial lake is seen in West Bekaa, September 19, 2014. Unusually warm weather and low rain levels in Lebanon this year has caused the unusual drying of the Litani river that feeds the Qaraoun artificial lake, residents said. Picture taken September 19, 2014. REUTERS/ Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON – Tags: ENVIRONMENT) – RTR474UT
ORA strenuously objects to a PTTW being issued to Nestle, on either a temporary or a permanent basis, for the extraction of water in Elora, or anywhere else in Ontario. Water from aquifers, rivers or lakes is an essential public commons that must not be privatized, or allowed to be extracted for the purpose of private profit or shareholder earnings.
Extracting up to 1.6 million litres of water each day could place water supply to communities and individuals living within the surrounding area at risk. The Mayor of Elora and many of its residents have already expressed their concerns and objections to this ill-conceived proposal to allow a global conglomerate to profit from a resource that must be protected as a public trust. It is incumbent upon the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to protect the interests of its citizens and this essential water supply.