[lit-ideas] Source water protection
- From: Ceridwen Harris <cmharris@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2005 09:19:13 -0500
Hi everyone
I am writing to ask for help regarding source water protection regulations
- I have a student doing a co-op with me on NGO activism, and we are
looking at new Source Water Protection regulations in Ontario specifically
Permits To Take Water( its in draft stage). We have a number of criticisms
of the proposed new regulations. We are looking for another state or
province system for comparison - any thoughts ? or suggested addresses,
contacts?
Here is just one sample of the kind of thing which concerns us about the
manual, ( MoE is the Ministry of the Environment). We are coming from a
position of conservation and following the 'precautionary principle' - we
are concerned about climate change and other assaults on our water, and
want to see strict limits on water being taken until an inventory has been
done of what water is actually there. The Ministry doesn't know what's
there ( no-one does at this time over most of Ontario) and appears to be
handing out permits like there's no tomorrow, although that's hard to prove
since getting information from them is like pulling hen's teeth. Anyway,
we'd like to know how other people are approaching this issue ( and if
possible to find critiques of other systems).
Any thoughts?
Best
Ceri
Observations of new Ontario Permits To Take Water draft document.
Steps Forward, Steps Back: Observations and Recommendations
Observations:
1) Step Forward: includes the possibility that an MoE Director can
request water balance assessments to be done (ie. How much water is in an
aquifer, and how much is being taken).
Steps Back: A water balance assessment isn't required, unless "there is a
pattern of significant decline in hydraulic head in the aquifer over the
previous 5 years." P. 21.
However, the MoE doesn't know, and isn't measuring the hydraulic head in
aquifers.
The manual goes on to state that in the absence of such information, "the
Director need take no further action in consideration of water balance and
sustainable aquifer yield". P.21.
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