Drinking Water Source Protection

Water is critical to all aspects of our lives and it is important that we ensure there is a safe and reliable source of water for all our uses - now and in the future. In 2000, the Walkerton tragedy showed us how vulnerable our drinking water can be when not managed properly. The provincial government made a commitment to the citizens of Ontario by passing the Clean Water Act in 2006 to protect the sources of drinking water supplies throughout Ontario.

Source protection plans will:

• identify the sources of municipal drinking water, including municipal wells, river and lake intakes
• outline the threats to the quality and quantity of water in source areas
• propose actions needed to reduce those threats and protect source water.

The task of developing protection plans is being guided by the Trent Conservation Coalition Source Protection Committee, a multi-stakeholder committee comprised municipal, special interest group and business sectors, and First Nations across the region.  The Trent Conservation Coalition Source Protection Region extends across the Trent/Ganarasksa River watersheds, covering a 14,500 square kilometre area stretching from Algonquin Park to Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte.

Lower Trent Conservation has partnered with four other Conservation Authorities in the region (Crowe Valley, Ganaraska Region, Kawartha Region and Otonabee) to assist the Committee with the development of the source protection plans.  Lower Trent Conservation, as the Lead partner, manages the administrative and financial aspects of the program and oversees the work of the source water protection project team.

To learn more about the Clean Water Act and source protection planning with the Trent Conservation Coalition Source Protection Region, go to the Trent Conservation Coalition Source Protection Region  website.