Owen Sound, ON – Over the last 25 years, protection of municipal drinking water sources in Ontario has improved dramatically. However, as the landscape and the climate changes, we must remain vigilant and continue with drinking water source protection measures to ensure that there continues to be safe water available for public consumption. Across Ontario, since the Clean Water Act, 2006 and the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 came into effect this legal foundation has been strengthened by the actions of Source Protection Committees and other source protection/ water professionals. The great progress to date has been made possible with the strong support and direct involvement of landowners, municipalities, agricultural and industry sectors, as well as other environmental and health related stakeholder groups.
Support from the province to update technical work is appreciated to manage threats on the landscape especially in areas with Karst features. The Committee would also like to see funding for stewardship to keep pace with new technical rules or new areas affected by plan policies in order to get buy-in from landowners in these areas who may not have been eligible during previous years.
Furthermore, our Committee is committed to continuing to work with municipalities and local health authorities across the Region to apply similar approaches to protecting private and non-municipal drinking water systems through Provincial best management guidance materials.
These Committees, with local municipal, agricultural, commercial, industrial, public, health and environmental representatives have created plans with policies to protect the municipal drinking water sources in their respective watersheds/source protection areas. Individuals and businesses have completed risk management plans across the province to ensure that the activities they engage in do not cause significant threats or contaminate water. Private water sources also benefit through the ripple effect of best management practice implementation, safe handling and disposal of potential contaminants that are part of their daily processes, and lobbying to ensure free private well water testing continues.
Each year these source protection areas/regions review their source protection plans to ensure they are being effective. The local activities and potential threats are routinely being monitored and inspected and individuals can feel confident, they are doing the right things to protect our shared drinking water sources. The process must continue to achieve our shared goals. In 2025 we should take time to reflect and acknowledge the success of the drinking water source protection activities achieved to date and look forward to continued progress and enhancements to the protection of our water sources.
The following are highlights from the Annual Progress Report for 2024:
• In 2024, 44 Risk Management Plans were renewed or newly established across the Region.
• There were 69 inspections carried out by Risk Management Inspectors for prohibited or regulated activities, with a 100% compliance rate
• Of the 21 municipalities required to complete the Official Plan conformity exercise, 100% have amended or are in the process of amending their Official Plans (20 fully implemented and 1 in-progress). Bruce County has completed a new draft Official Plan amendment in 2024, with plans to finalize the document this year. Of the 17 municipalities required to complete the Zoning by-law conformity exercise, 100% have amended or are in the process of amending their Zoning by-laws.
• 100% of septic inspections have been completed as required under the Clean Water Act and Building Code Act within vulnerable source protection areas. In 2024, 3 septic systems were inspected, one which required major maintenance. Staff have connected with the municipality to ensure the noted deficiencies are addressed. An increased number of inspections scheduled for 2025 as part of the second round. Septic systems are required to be inspected once every 5 years within vulnerable source protection areas.
You may view or download this report at home.waterprotection.ca from the Resources Tab or contact those below.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carl Kuhnke, Source Protection Committee Chair, mail@waterprotection.ca
Carl Seider, Project Manager, c.seider@waterprotection.ca or 519-470-3000
Background:
Drinking Water Source Protection is a program governed by legislation and regulations of the Clean Water Act, 2006. The Source Protection Plan is a science-based document that was developed locally and written for this Source Protection Region. The Source Protection Plan was approved by the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change on October 16, 2015. Policies in the plan became effective on July 1, 2016.
The Saugeen, Grey Sauble, Northern Bruce Peninsula source protection region contains 38 municipal residential drinking water systems; 29 systems draw water from a groundwater source (an aquifer), 8 systems draw water from a surface water source, and 1 system combines groundwater and surface water. Policies in the Source Protection Plan only apply in specific areas, for significant drinking water threat activities as per circumstances so that those activities do not become significant or impact local municipal sources of drinking water.
The purpose of the Clean Water Act, 2006 is to protect existing and future sources of drinking water from contamination or depletion. The policies in the Source Protection Plan manage activities that could be a risk to municipal drinking water sources. The Act relies on existing legislation, regulations and processes to manage risks. Where there is a conflict between pieces of legislation – the one that is more protective of drinking water applies.