Proposed pipeline raises fear of water shortages

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Chippewas of Nawash Chief Ralph Akiwenzie fears a proposed pipeline that would pump millions of litres of Georgian Bay water to Walkerton and other Bruce County communities could have a detrimental effect on the band's hard-won fishing rights.

"The lake levels are already at record lows; we fear for the future of the fish habitat if the lake is drained even more,'' said Akiwenzie, leader of the 700-member community on the Bruce Peninsula.

A pipeline built in 1998 already pumps millions of litres of Georgian Bay water a day to supply the Honda plant at Alliston. But an agreement for a further 10 million litres of water a day to be pumped to Bradford has come as a surprise to Collingwood councillors and has outraged environmentalists.

Although Bradford is in a different watershed to Collingwood, under the agreement inked in mid-September, Bradford/West Gwillimbury will pay New Tecumseth as much as $14 million up front to tap into the Georgian Bay water that flows down the pipeline from Collingwood.

In 1998, Collingwood council's decision to agree to the 60-kilometre pipeline to help New Tecumseth supply water to the Honda plant was based on the fact that Alliston is in the same watershed, said Collingwood Mayor Terry Geddes.

"Collingwood is an extremely environmentally aware community and when we said we would supply water only to the same watershed we meant it," said Geddes.

Alliston is in the Georgian Bay watershed while Bradford is in the Lake Simcoe watershed.

Akiwenzie said he's not totally opposed to the concept of building a 150-kilometre pipeline from Wiarton near Cape Croker to Walkerton, but he fears there will be nothing to stop it being expanded like the Collingwood pipeline.

"If you start a trend like that it could have a big impact on our fishery," said Akiwenzie.

"Water is going to be the number one issue in the future and the Great Lakes are the last bastion of fresh water in North America. They have to be protected."

The rest of council overruled a suggestion by Walkerton councillor Chris Peabody that the Nawash band and the Saugeen First Nation be included in the pipeline talks.

"That was extremely short sighted," said Akiwenzie, who pointed out there is a major land claim for the shoreline lands that the pipeline will have to cross.

"The pipelines would absolve the local municipalities from the responsibility to provide clean water locally, and would take away the pressure to clean up local surface and groundwater, leaving the way open for further pollution of groundwater," said Akiwenzie.

The proposal, which would also provide water for many other small communities along the way, involves transporting 8 million to 12 million litres of water a day either from Wiarton or Southampton, which is close to the Saugeen Reserve.

At press time, an application to find out how much grant money might be available to help build the pipeline was almost ready to be presented to the province.