IMO, commercial water extraction permits should be linked to aquifer recovery; if the aquifer levels are dropping, the commercial companies should be required to stop until the aquifer is stable again. If it never becomes stable again due to other pressures, commercial extraction never starts again.
I like your approach, and for what it’s worth, I live in about a half km from the aberfoyle bottling plant, and am on well water from the same aquifer as the plant. I’ve never once had well issues, or low water.
I’m in no way trying to “carry water” for a terrible company like Nestle, however the impact on the local populations water supply is minimal, and the community benefits from tax dollars that keep our property costs relatively low and our community centres and parks well maintained.
Again, fuck nestle and their more nefarious business practices, but there is some nuance to the discussion.
Letting corporations drain our water reserves for the most meager of profits feels incredibly shortsighted, but especially so when you consider literally every long-term climate model. That water is going to be incredibly valuable in the not-too-distant future