ERIN – To address existing water demands and future growth projections, Erin council has unanimously supported a resolution for a new municipal well.
Wellington Source Water Protection official Kyle Davis presented council with the resolution Oct. 24.
Davis asked council to provide support regarding the inclusion of Municipal Well E9, its wellhead protection areas and the mapping within the Credit Valley Assessment Report and the Credit Valley – Toronto and Region – Central Lake Ontario (CTC) Source Protection Plan (SPP).
“This resolution is required to … move us through the next steps in the process under the Clean Water Act, to ensure protection of the municipal well and the wellhead protection areas going forward,” Davis told council.
In addition to drilling and testing the well, the town completed an environment assessment in 2020 and obtained a permit to take water from the province in 2022.
The report provided council with an update on proposed changes to the protection plan related to the proposed municipal Well E9.
The well, located on Wellington Road 23 north of the village of Erin, was drilled and constructed between July and December 2019, Davis stated in an Oct. 28 email to the Advertiser.
“Municipal Well E9 is a critical well needed to support growth within the Town of Erin,” stated the report.
To include the well in the protection plan, it requires an amendment under the Section 34 of the Clean Water Act, which requires a resolution of support from town and county councils.
Erin staff have reviewed both updated documents and have no concerns, according to the report. The amendments are as follows:
– added County of Wellington under municipal government partnerships;
– amended document text to reflect consultation completed;
– updated well count for Town of Erin; and
– maps of the new threat areas where SPP policies apply.
Currently the town’s drinking water is sourced from groundwater through two municipal wells: PW E7 and PW E8. The new well requires new wellhead protection areas in Erin.
Town consultant Aqua Insight, along with town staff and Wellington Source Water Protection staff, completed the “initial significant drinking water threat activity enumeration,” stated the report.
The enumeration concluded up to 10 properties may be regulated under the Clean water Act once Well E9 is approved through the CTC Source Protection Plan.
“It’s important to note that majority of those [properties] are within 100 metres of the property of the well itself,” added Davis.
Several properties are agricultural fields, one is a residential septic system and the remaining are industrial commercial properties in the larger wellhead protection areas, said Davis.
The requirements for the 10 property owners include:
– limited prohibition of manure application;
– risk management plans for pesticide applications;
– septic system inspections within 100 metres of the well; and
– potentially chemical risk management plans for industrial or commercial facilities in the broader wellhead protection areas.
Once the town and county have supported Well E9’s location, the CTC can move into public consultation between Dec. 4 and Jan. 22, Davis noted.
It is anticipated there may be fewer than 10 properties affected once public consultation begins.
The 10 property owners identified will receive “direct mailing” with information regarding the requirements.
“The town … will support that public consultation,” added the report.
Comments from owners and other members of the public will be “taken into consideration” by the CTC Source Protection committee.
The approving authority for the amendment is the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and submission to the province is anticipated for early 2025, stated the report.
There is no timeline on when the Minister may approve the submission.
