Wilmot Township gravel pit owner looks to use millions of litres of water daily

By Lee Griffi

A Region of Waterloo citizens group is calling foul over a Wilmot Township gravel pit’s request to use millions of litres of water daily.

Esbaugh Sand and Gravel Ltd., an aggregate operation on Witmer Road, has asked the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to draw water from a pond on the property for aggregate washing and dust suppression.

If approved, the permit would allow the company to take up to 13,500 litres per minute or 9.72 million litres per day. The permit would last for 10 years and enable the company to use the water 230 times every year.

Citizens for Safe Ground Water (CSGW) is opposing the application at what it calls a critical time, as the Region of Waterloo has publicly acknowledged a water capacity constraint limiting growth and prompting active efforts to secure additional municipal water supply. The region is looking at wells in Wilmot Township, near the proposed water-taking site, as part of its solution to the constraint.

“Approving a new, high-risk industrial groundwater withdrawal while the region is struggling to meet

existing and future municipal needs is fundamentally contradictory,” said Rory Farnan, the group’s secretary. “This proposal adds unnecessary risk to an already stressed system.”

He added he is concerned about impacts on groundwater levels, private well owners and the long-term resilience of municipal water supplies.

“We know the wetland beside the gravel pit is just about dried up at this point. There is a neighbour down the street who is basically saying they can do the dishes and a load of laundry, then they have to wait until the next day to be able to use their well again.”

Farnan said the region has admitted there is an aquifer constraint at the Mannheim well, and Wilmot water sources are being considered to supply the additional capacity.

“Then you have this application, which is a massive amount of water. Where does that leave us?” Farnan said. “You’ve got the region pulling at one end and potentially Esbaugh on the other end of the straw. What does that leave in between?”

He added private well owners, agricultural and other businesses should all be concerned with what could occur if the application is approved. The group has gone to the Ontario Land Tribunal in the past and lost. Farnan added the province is wielding a heavy hand when it comes to development in Ontario, and oftentimes the region has little to no say.

“They are the ones who have called for the region to be one million people. They are the ones funding the 770 (acre land acquisition). They are the ones who have stripped environmental protections, and they are the ones who are ultimately approving these large pulls of water.”

Farnan said it is unfortunate the region is often limited to commenting on sensitive issues rather than having any real decision-making authority. He added there needs to be more opposition from residents affected by provincial decisions.

“On the other hand, the Region of Waterloo is the 10th largest municipality in Ontario. We’ve seen this before, like the Green Belt, where Doug Ford has backed away from issues if he sees a lot of opposition. He told folks at the International Plowing Match that if they were an unwilling host, they would look elsewhere.”

Farnan said there is a role for the region, and they have a lot at stake, particularly because they want to get building again.

“Are they going to sit back and point their jurisdictional finger at the province? I would say they probably will. They need to speak up and advocate for the residents and, ironically, the developers. They can’t call an emergency council meeting and stop this, but the weight of the region definitely should be exercised.”

The proposed site lies over the Waterloo Moraine, a critical recharge area that plays a vital role in maintaining both water quantity and quality across the region. The group also points to concerns around compliance and public trust, noting groundwater protection requires a precautionary approach, especially when dealing with Category 3 risks in a water-constrained region.

CSGW is calling on the province to reject the permit application and on the Region of Waterloo to formally oppose it, ensuring provincial decisions align with local water-supply planning and long-term sustainability goals.

The same group spoke out earlier this year when the province shut down an unlicensed snow dump at the same gravel pit.

The Gazette reached out to Esbaugh Sand and Gravel Ltd. for comment but did not hear back by press time.