CAMBRIDGE – Updates to the plan that protects the sources of municipal drinking water in the Grand River watershed were approved by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks on Feb. 4 and 9.
The first amendment to the Grand River Source Protection Plan affects the Town of Grand Valley and includes a new supply well for the town’s drinking water system. The plan has been updated with new maps and revised policies. These updates were completed in 2021, publicly consulted on from June 21 to July 20, and submitted to the ministry for review and approval on Oct. 12, and came into effect on Feb. 15, 2022.
The second set of amendments to the plan affect Wellington County (Townships of Centre Wellington, Mapleton, Puslinch and the Town of Erin) and the Region of Waterloo (Township of Woolwich, Cities of Kitchener and Cambridge). The updates include new water quantity policies protecting the Centre Wellington drinking water systems, and reflect infrastructure updates in the Region of Waterloo. These specific updates were completed in 2020, publicly consulted on from Jan. 25 to March 8, 2021 and submitted to the ministry for review and approval on July 8, 2021 and came into effect on Feb. 18, 2022.
“It is important to keep source protection plans up-to-date to reflect changes in infrastructure and where new information becomes available, so that communities can rest assured that their sources of drinking water are protected,” says GRCA source protection manager Martin Keller.
“We are already working on further plan updates. These will be brought forward once studies are completed.”
Information about upcoming plan updates will be posted at www.sourcewater.ca/GR-SPP-Update once available.
Background
The plan and its associated documents are available online at www.sourcewater.ca.
The Grand River Source Protection Plan was first approved in November 2015 and came into effect July 1, 2016.
The source protection planning process began in 2006 following the Walkerton Inquiry, when the Ontario government passed the Clean Water Act to protect the sources of municipal drinking water throughout the province. The process is based on technical studies, collaborative policy development and extensive public consultation.
The process to update the plan was guided by the Lake Erie Region Source Protection Committee, which is made up of representatives from municipalities, business, industry, farmers, landowners and other stakeholders. The committee is also responsible for updating plans for the Catfish Creek, Kettle Creek and Long Point Region watersheds.
Implementation of the plan policies is primarily a responsibility of municipalities and provincial ministries. Source protection plans are local, science-based plans designed to protect the water quality and quantity of the lakes, rivers and sources of underground water that supply municipal drinking water systems. The plans set out actions to eliminate, manage or reduce potential risks to drinking water sources.
Policies in the Source Protection Plans include a variety of approaches to manage and prevent risks to municipal drinking water. These approaches include education and outreach, the development of risk management plans, land use planning and monitoring. The policies are designed to ensure sufficient supplies and keep contaminants out of rivers, lakes and groundwater aquifers that are sources of municipal drinking water.
Funding
The source protection planning process is directed and funded by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in conjunction with municipalities. Local conservation authorities provide technical, communications and administrative support for the source protection planning process.
