On June 9, 2026, a coalition of twelve municipalities in Quebec joined forces with nine environmental organizations to send a formal letter to the province's environment minister. The correspondence highlighted that current groundwater extraction in the region surpasses the natural rate at which the aquifers are recharged, and it called for immediate measures to address the imbalance.
The letter detailed the collective concern that ongoing water withdrawals are outpacing the replenishment capacity of the underlying aquifers. By drawing attention to the discrepancy between extraction and recharge, the signatories underscored a potential threat to the long‑term availability of groundwater supplies that support both municipal needs and local ecosystems.
In the document, the municipalities and environmental groups emphasized that the province is extracting more groundwater than is being naturally replenished. They noted that this pattern, if left unchecked, could lead to a gradual decline in water reserves, affecting drinking water sources, agricultural irrigation, and the health of wetlands and streams that depend on steady groundwater inputs.
The appeal to the environment minister seeks provincial action to review current extraction permits, implement stricter monitoring, and develop a sustainable management plan for groundwater resources. Local authorities and non‑governmental organizations are urging the government to act promptly to prevent further depletion and to ensure that water use remains within the limits of natural recharge rates.