The Rural Voice, 1999-05, Page 25put in place taxation relief measures
to help drought -stricken farmers last
year.
Jn
their brief to local Members of
Parliament, the two Fedcrations
of Agriculture asked that the
present permit to take water be
replaced with a system which meets
five minimum standards.
• That protection of the quality of
existing water supplies be
guaranteed.
• That protection of the quantity of
existing groundwater be guaranteed.
• That municipalities have greater say
in granting permits to take water.
• That taking large quantities of water
be treated as mineral resource
extraction, including the payment of
fees appropriate to the volume of
extraction.
• That the system recognizes the
interests of residents and neighbours
of proposed water -taking operations.
If the interests of local residents
were given much weight, the current
application at Flesherton would be
stopped dead in its tracks. Anders
estimates 40-50 per cent of all
"I'd like to tell people
'don't sit back'."
residents of Artemesia and Glenclg
Townships have signed the petition.
Opponents of the proposal are
waiting for the Ministry's ruling, due
within weeks. If they lose there, there
is one other forum for them to state
their opposition. In order to export
water the company must apply for
rezoning of the land where the spring
is situated.
For its part, the company has said
it is not just interested in taking water
out of the area but will eventually
build a plant to bottle on the site.
Jobs or no jobs, says Anders,
stopping this plant is important to the
future of preserving water in the area.
"Our concern is that if this
company is allowed to come in, it
will open the door to a lot of others
in the township and other areas,"
Anders says. "It will set a precedent."
Bonwick would like people to
become as upset about water as they
do about issues like gasoline prices.
"I'd like to tell people `don't sit
back. These are your communities.
These are your resources.— 0
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