It's About Water Fundraiser

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Support for the community-wide movement to stop the planned water diversion project was the focus of the It's About Water fundraiser last Saturday evening at the Legion Hall in Millbrook. And what a show of support turned out! What a great crowd! For the It's About Water campaign, I would like to thank each and every individual who came out to support the cause. You all demonstrated your concern by being there.


Thanks too for the great music from Brookside and Alyssa Morrissey with Jeff Brackett and friends, and for Washboard Hank's enthusiastic support as MC. Thanks are again extended to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 402 for the space. It is acknowledged and appreciated that Legion Branch 402 assumes a non-partisan view on the water issue. And, last but certainly not least, thanks to all the wonderful donors of Silent Auction items. Because of you all those who came, those who entertained, and those who donated items - we raised $7000. These funds will be used to continue the It's About Water campaign.

This is a community issue that will affect the future of Millbrook and the township. The proposal is to take as much as 800% more water from the Millbrook system daily, in perpetuity (or until it runs out). Millbrook aquifer water would be pumped along a 12 km pipeline to service the needs of a planned development in the Fraserville area. That development is to include close to 700 homes along with unspecified industrial, commercial and recreation sites. The water would also service the OLG Slots. The portion of the cost of this water project to be paid by the township "that's you and me" is a minimum of $10 million. That's on top of the cost of engineers and consultants so far - $2.8 million since 2004 and counting. But, the bottom line is that there is no map of the aquifer that supplies water to Millbrook and the southern part of the township. Nobody knows how much water there is. Nobody knows the boundaries of the aquifer.

Nobody knows the rate of recharge. It's that simple.

When the officials at the township office, through a vote by our elected council, issue what is called a Notice of Completion, concerned citizens will have 30 days to respond. A request for another Environmental Assessment (E.A.) following the guidelines of the Ministry of the Environment will be submitted as part of the It's About Water campaign. Please watch for notices for the E.A. Sign-In and come to the information sessions to learn how you can respond.

Celia Hunter