Ontario to Allow Municipalities More Input on Water Bottling Operations

Ontario is moving forward with changes to the Ontario Water Resources Act that will give host municipalities more direct input on allowing bottled water companies to withdraw new or increased amounts of groundwater in their communities. 

This new requirement is part of a series of proposed enhancements to Ontario’s water taking program, and are anticipated to come into effect when the current bottled water moratorium ends on April 1, 2021, and applications for bottled water takings can resume. 

Giving municipalities more direct input on new or increased bottled water takings will help further protect water resources in Ontario by ensuring that local communities also have a say in water bottling permits. 

On December 8, 2020, the province published the following amendments:

• Before a water bottling company applies for a permit to take water from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, the company would be required to seek a municipal council resolution from the local host municipality either supporting or objecting to the proposed water taking.
• The requirement would apply to a company intending to apply for a permit for a new groundwater taking or to increase the amount they are authorized to take under an existing permit.
• The requirement only applies to cumulative water takings within the local host municipality above 379,000 litres per day.
• The local host municipality is the lower or single tier municipality where the proposed water taking is located.
• Municipalities would be required to provide a council resolution within 12 months from the date the company makes a request. A resolution supporting a water taking would be valid for five years.

Even with the support from the host municipality, companies would still be required to meet any requirements or conditions that the ministry might have in deciding whether to issue the permit to take water.

For more details, please visit the Environmental Registry website here.

Canadian Water and Wastewater Association