Region of Waterloo in violation of water-pumping agreement with Wilmot

By Lee Griffi

Wilmot Township is in a water crisis, and the municipality isn’t alone.

Kitchener, Waterloo and other communities have been in a development freeze because there isn’t enough water for proposed massive new construction projects, both residential and industrial.

The aquifer at Mannheim has reached critical levels, while private wells and other groundwater sources are in the same situation.

Most recently, residents have expressed shock and anger after Region of Waterloo water management staff admitted they have been diverting 30 litres per second of water from the Wilmot Centre wellfield and sending it to Kitchener and Waterloo.

“This happened in violation of a current existing policy,” said Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen.

A 1980 policy, still in place, restricts the amount of water permitted to be taken from underground aquifers in Wilmot so the township could support its own current and future needs.

The issue was a hot topic of debate at Wilmot council’s March 23 regular meeting. Each member of Wilmot council is on the same page with the ever-growing water concerns, including Coun. Lillianne Dunstall, who referred to the 1980 deal as a gentleman’s agreement. She feels betrayed by the region's actions.

“The region has been taking water without permission. I understand (it) was not a policy or a bylaw or anything that was binding, but we trusted the region was going to keep their word. At this point right now, they haven’t.”

Dunstall understands Salonen is fighting for the township in her seat on regional council, but she added she is one of 15 voices around that table, 11 of which represent urban centres.

“They are growing, and they want our water,” Dunstall said.

Coun. Harvir Sidhu said the situation amounts to a breakdown of trust, something that, to him, doesn’t come as a surprise.

“Yes, the region and the province have authority over the water, but having jurisdiction doesn’t mean secrecy. Our residents expect us to know what’s going on in our backyard, and right now, we have been put in a position by the region where we don’t know what’s going on.”

More Wilmot water started being sent to larger urban centres in 2019 without Wilmot’s knowledge, something Sidhu said is completely unacceptable.

“I am on board with Coun. Dunstall. We need to send a strong message to the region that we’re not going to lay over and take it. They can’t keep pumping one of our best resources in water, since there is not an infinite supply,” Sidhu said.

While he understands the region wants to grow, Sidhu said it is inappropriate to go back on a promise.

“It’s going to take a lot for me, personally, to regain the region’s trust after this.”

Coun. Kris Wilkinson explained Wilmot had an agreement which was to be respected but feels betrayed by the region’s increased water pumping.

“We tried to be good neighbours a month or two ago by saying we could suspend this for a year or so. With the new details that have come out, I am hearing from some of the residents in my ward who are even further outside the Shingletown and Mannheim area who are seeing some wells go absent.”

He explained homeowners may need to pay out of pocket to deepen their wells.

“The long-term effects of this could be devastating to our residents and those folks who rely on the wells or aquifers for drinking water.”

Coun. Stewart Cressman said he has heard from constituents who have drilled new wells at their own expense, and voiced concern over the lack of data on well-water level monitoring across the township.

“We are operating blind in terms of the impact of the pumping and the water being taken out of our township for the needs of the greater region. I would strongly suggest that monitoring information is public knowledge that should be supplied to this township on a continuing basis.”

Salonen, who has a seat on regional council, spoke to bring clarity to the situation. She said the phrase agreement has been thrown around often, but she has yet to see it for herself. She added there was a Region of Waterloo motion passed in 1980 that has never been reconsidered.

“It was amended in 1984, but it still stands. It has a cap on how much water the region is allowed to pump out of Wilmot that has been violated. It was made clear through further questioning in addition to the motion I brought forward in the spirit of what this council had asked.”

She added the motion will be on next Wednesday’s meeting agenda, and she expects it to be deferred a second time.

“Regional staff have not provided the aquifer information, and a lot of us, myself included, want to understand the health of the aquifer before making long-term implications to our water resources, especially in light of further information that has been provided by residents.”

Salonen is encouraging residents who have had or believe they have had well interference to report it to the region by calling its direct regional help line at 519-575-4400.

“Sorry it’s not an easier process, but it's the one that currently exists. Please do continue to reach out to regional councillors and delegate at the meetings,” she said.

Wilmot council unanimously passed a motion asking the region to make well-monitoring data available. It passed unanimously and will be tabled at next week’s meeting.

Salonen added water take permits are a provincial responsibility but added the region should have everybody’s best interests in mind.

“That includes the impacted residents around these wells and not just the areas they want to grow. Water is a finite resource, as we know.”

The Gazette reached out to Regional Chair Karen Redman for an interview but instead received a statement.

“We have a report coming to council on April 8 that will address this topic. The report will be available online next week. Happy to set something up once the report is available,” said the region’s manager of corporate communications, Lynsey Slupkis.

The report will be available on the region’s website later this week.