Community water needs will be met first, Nestl says of plan to share Middlebrook well

NestlWaters Canada say community water needs will be top priority as it pitches a burgeoning partnership between the company and the Township of Centre Wellington.

Much has been made about a battle between the two to buy the rights to the Middlebrook well water source in Centre Wellington.

But now, it appears the company is trying to make amends.

"The minute we found out the township was the anonymous bidder, we immediately started thinking of ways that we could partner," said Andreanne Simard, a hydrologist with Nestl Canada.

"Now it's time to move forward and work together on a Centre Wellington-made solution," Simard told The Morning Edition host Craig Norris Thursday morning.

Partnership pitched Monday

Nestl representatives appeared before Centre Wellington council Monday nightto propose discussions on how the company and municipality could partner on the future of the Middlebrook well.

Though what that partnership will look like is unclear.

Simard said Thursday that as soon as her company learned that Centre Wellington had bid on the Middlebrook well, Nestl began to brainstorm ways the two could work together.

"It will be something specific to Centre Wellington and to ensure that their community water supply needs are met first."

The township still has to decide if it wants to be part of this proposed partnership. In anemailto the CBC News, CentreWelligntonMayor KellyLintonsaid council has not yet met to discuss the idea.

But the two have plenty of time to work things out.

In October the Government of Ontario issued a two-year moratorium on new and expanded water bottling operations, governmentscientists get a better idea of groundwater supply, and review the existing rules around water taking permits.

Advocates want open door meetings

Mike Nagy, chairman of Wellington Water Watchers, said he believes there is much going on behind the scenes and he would like to know if Linton has had closed-door meetings with Nestl already.

"The public has said no to Nestl and so should the mayor and [the] Township of Centre Wellington," Nagy said in an email.

"The rules have changed and this water will be 100% needed for community growth and can in no way be associated with or compete with corporate removal and profiting.We cannot have our water used as a political pawn."

Linton would not comment on if he has metwith Nestl about the proposed partnership.

Nestl vs. Centre Wellington

Some media outlets have reported Nestl "outbid" the township for access to its own water, and the purchase was denounced by water advocates.

In fact, the well had been for sale for 10 years, when Nestle made itsconditional offer in 2014.

This summer, the company learned a second anonymous buyer had come forward to purchase the well with no conditions. Nestl thenwaived all conditions and went ahead with its purchase.

Nestl said after the deal closed, the company learned the second buyer was the Township of Centre Wellington.

Nestl has two other water permits in this part of Ontario; one in Aberfoyle and another in Erin, and thecompany says the Middlebrookwater source will be a supplementary well to its plant in Aberfoyle.