The Canadian Press October 21, 2008

Mr. Miller also said Ontario has an increasingly limited water supply, especially when climate change predictions are factored in. He called it alarming that cities such as Guelph and Kitchener are expanding even though they lack the water tables to support growth.

 

Overdrawing from Moraines can pose many problems. See what happened to the Wisconsin Moraine.

 

 

A Lake Erie Pipeline is a serious gamble

  • The current anticipated costs of the proposal are under evaluated. The Nanticoke facility is using 30 year old technology that will need to be upgraded and there is a global shortage of steel, asphalt, cement and tires. The current estimates have not project the anticipated rising costs of these base materials or the rising cost of Gas, Shipping etc. We have yet to hear of the related costs required to pump the water uphill from Erie to Waterloo Region.
  • It will cost billions to establish the pipeline in compliance to the Great Lakes Charter agreement because what we draw out must be fully treated afterwards. The water taken locally must return to the local basin whereas the water pulled from Lake Erie must return to Lake Erie.
  • How can we make sure the volumes to Erie will be maintained if bottled water companies continue to divert water out of basin in Waterloo Region and along the Grand River?
  • Lost water volumes in Lake Erie are already creating economic problems for Hydro and Great Lakes shipping and it's contributing to algae blooms which are further aggravated by Global Warming. How can we protect Erie's declining water volumes if we're drawing water out?
  • The Grand River supports the same economy as the province of Nova Scotia and it supplies Lake Erie with 10% of its water supply. Even with a pipeline we should not build over the recharge areas if we are to protect the water supply and the economies and communities dependent on it. 75% of the Grand River Watershed is being used for agriculture. If development activities impact water volumes, who is liable?
  • The Association for the Advancement of Scientific Research published findings on August 2007 which states, Lake Erie will most likely be toxic due to algae blooms as a result of global warming. The algae issues are being aggrivated by development over the moraine, additional sewage and expanding farming operations.
  • Why invest billions for a water supply that may or may not be potable in the future?

This glass of microcystic algae from Erie. The toxic Blue Gree Algae Blooms can be seen from space.