Some of our concerns about the proposed gravel pit are:

• 20% of pits in Region of Waterloo are rehabilitated.
  
  
• Extraction is a one time event; Farming is renewable. Permanent removal of farmland and loss of Ontario’s food producing agricultural lands
  
  
• Low agricultural productivity and decreased financial viability for rehabilitated pit farms
  
  
• There are restrictions on fill that is permissible once filtration system has been removed
  
  
• Issue with putting soil from previous operations of a feedlot (nitrates) back onto land with the natural filtration system removed.

Mike Roth, President of the NFU (National Farmers Union) Local 340 Waterloo-Wellington, wrote a letter "in support of the position held by the Citizens for Safe Ground Water regarding this issue; that is, to deny the proposed zone change of this property." He mentioned,

• "In 1989, Elmira had a water contamination crisis, and almost 30 years later it still cannot use its own groundwater, and receives water, in part, from Waterloo Region’s K-50 and K-51 well heads. These two well heads have significant recharge area on the property proposed for re-zoning, and supply 7% of Waterloo Region’s Integrated Urban System drinking water. Kitchener,Waterloo,Cambridge, St. Jacobs, St Agatha, Baden, New Hamburg, Mannheim, Shingletown and Elmira all use this water system. A gravel pit does not mean contaminated water, but it introduces unnecessary risk to a system under growing demand"
  
  
• "We advise that the zone change be denied, due to the unlikelihood of proper rehabilitation, lack of long term accountability and stewardship, and the growing demand on our groundwater. This property plays a significant role in recharging our aquifers and is also prime farmland which is more beneficial to our community."
  
  
• Click here to read the full 2-page letter