Ontario Pork welcomes the opportunity to provide input on updates to Ontario’s Water Quantity Management Framework. Identifying livestock watering as a Priority 1 use recognizes and supports the importance of food production. Ontario Pork strongly believes that food production must continue to be recognized as a fundamental priority in any decisions made regarding competing water demands.
Water use by pork producers and other livestock farmers is a key part of the self-sustaining nature of livestock agriculture with organic waste from animals applied as nutrients to a managed crop rotation, supporting plant growth and naturally recycling large volumes of water within individual farms’ ecosystems.
As the Ministry considers geographic-based Water Taking Management Strategies, Ontario Pork is concerned that producers could be negatively impacted by certain policies that restrict water use for an identified Priority 1 use. We also believe that it should be recognized that not all water taking for “municipal systems” is for Drinking Water. In some situations a significant percentage of the water taking for municipal systems could be Priority 3 uses (Industrial and Commercial). This should be recognized when developing Area Based Water Taking Management Strategies.
Ontario Pork requests an opportunity to participate and comment during the Preliminary Assessment Stage and throughout the development of Area Based Water Taking Management Strategies.
