'Sustainability' is crucial part of water management
Letter to the Editor

The following letter, addressed to Mayor Margaret Black, was submitted to the Sentinel for publication.

In light of the everincreasing pressures on all households in York Region, and the Region's efforts to reduce the consumption of water, King Township has an excellent opportunity to show leadership in promoting and implementing truly sustainable initiatives, which will be beneficial not only for its current residents, but for future residents.

To quote York Region, "Every litre of water saved means that less chemicals and less energy are used for treatment, pumping and disposal. Every litre of hot water saved in homes, institutions and industry means less natural gas and electricity is used for heating, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

In 2003, the average water demand in York Region was 320 million litres per day, a vast amount. Due to York's efforts in conservation in 2003, this was reduced to 300 million litres per day. Concerned Citizens of King Township (CCKT) believes that this constitutes a good, positive start in the on-going challenges to conserve water.

Taking water from Lake Ontario and transporting it to King City is not a sustainable process, whether it is diverted from the pipe in Aurora or from the pipe in Vaughan. It should also be remembered that over 90 billion litres of raw sewage was dumped into the Great Lakes in 2006. The demand on the use of chemicals and energy to make this water drinkable is enormous.

The Region draws about 20 per cent of its water from the Oak Ridges Moraine and about 5 per cent from Lake Simcoe. The remainder is drawn from Lake Ontario, having been purchased from the City of Toronto. Significant monies are already being spent in water treatment, and significant energy is spent in order to capture Lake Ontario water and distribute it throughout the GTA.

For the people of King Township, the vast majority of their water has been accessed from the Oak Ridges Moraine via wells. CCKT believes this should remain our source of drinking water.

Population expansion in King Township should be governed by the availability of local water. Monies should not be spent to take water, and transport it from many kilometres away, whilst simultaneously producing more pollution. Doing so is not a sustainable approach to the issue.

The King City Community Plan states: "To maintain, and enhance where feasible, surface and groundwater resource quality and quantity to meet existing and future uses on a sustainable basis in the King City Planning Area." CCKT strongly believes the key phrase is "sustainable basis."

The Greenbelt Plan also states in its Vision and Goals that: "The Greenbelt is a broad belt of permanently protected land which gives permanent protection to the natural heritage and water resource systems that sustain ecological and human health and that form the environmental framework around which main urbanization in south-central Ontario will be organized."

In terms of enhancing the overall quality of life, one of several goals of environmental protection is: "Protection, improvement or restoration of the quality and quantity of ground and surface water and the hydrological integrity of watersheds."

The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan required municipalities to compile their Watershed Plans by April 30, 2007, of which a water budget and conservation plan, and land and water use strategies are key components. Once again, CCKT stresses the "sustainability" aspect of this requirement, i.e. sustainability relative to the ORM, from where King Township obtains the vast majority of its water, and not to Lake Ontario.

In summary, CCKT wants to promote population growth in King Township which is in balance with water availability from the Oak Ridges Aquifer. CCKT wants to promote sustainable development in King Township which will enhance a vibrant atmosphere which is essential to the health and well-being of all the communities in King. The important challenge, which should not be ignored, is to strive to maintain a healthy balance with our local environment.

Ron Mitchell, Vice-chair, CCKT