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Ontario’s opposition parties want the public to have a say as the Liberal government overhauls the province’s water-taking permit program this fall.

The New Democrats said a public review of water takings must be part of a new provincial strategy to treat water as a public trust that puts drinking water, sanitation and agricultural uses ahead of commercial users.

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“Often it’s the grassroots communities that are out ahead of the policy makers,” said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. “Ontario needs to have a complete look at the water situation and come up with a holistic strategy.”

Horwath met last week with Guelph residents who are fighting an application by multinational Nestle to renew its permit to take up to 3.6 million litres a day from its well in nearby Aberfoyle, and said they are concerned about their future drinking water supplies.

Simply charging bottling companies like Nestle more — it currently pays just $3.71 for every one million litres taken — won’t protect the water, she said.