P.E.I. watershed group turns down Pure Island Waters donation

A P.E.I. watershed group has turned down a yearly donation from Pure Island Waters Ltd. a company proposing to set up a water bottling plant in Brookvale, P.E.I.

Mike Durant, president of Central Queens branch of the P.E.I.Wildlife Federation, explained the group is concerned with the amount of water being removed from the watershed and the commercialization of the resource.

• Pure Island Waters looks to open water bottling plant in Brookvale

"What's the precedent that it sets going forward in the future? Does this open the door that P.E.I.'s water, which is a public resource, is now available for sale, and what's that going to do to the Island?"asked Durant.

The P.E.I. government is not requiring Pure Island Waters to undergo an environmental assessment because the proposed water extraction rates are not high enough.

• No moratorium on bottled water plant proposal: minister
• Pure Island Waters alters business plan after public pressure

Pure Island Waters planned to offerthe group to $25,000 a year to start. The company's president Jim Wood told CBC that amount would have increased to $100,000 a year once the plant is operational.

He said it's the watershed group's choice not to accept the money, but believes they could have used the money for projects to improve the waterway.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Education part of delegation's Farmers Helping Farmers visit
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Garth Slysz named one of Canada's top 10 docs