Source Water Protection - Lakehead Region

Municipal Drinking Water Source Protection

DRAFT PROPOSED TERMS OF REFERENCE
The Lakehead Source Protection Committee has released the Draft Proposed Terms of Reference for the Lakehead Source Protection Area for public comment and review as of June 20, 2008.
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Draft Proposed Terms of Reference

Public Guidance Document
Draft Proposed Terms of Reference

Media Release
Release of Draft Proposed Terms of Reference

Source Protection Committees in the 19 Source Protection Areas and Regions across the province of Ontario have posted or are in the process of posting a Draft Proposed Terms of Reference. To view draft documents posted from other Areas or Regions click here.

COMMITTEE MEETING
The July 9, 2008 Meeting of the Lakehead Source Protection Committee will include a bus tour to the Bare Point Intake Protection Zone and Rosslyn Village Wellhead Protection Area. The Meeting is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

The Minutes for the May 7, 2008 Meeting of the Lakehead Source Protection Committee were adopted by consensus and are posted. (Read more)

Painting of Bare Point Intake Protection Zone

Painting of Bare Point Intake Protection Zone

Local artist Ruth Tye McKenzie depicts a bird's eye view of the Bare Point Intake Protection Zone in this painting commissioned by the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority. The Bare Point Water Treatment Plant supplies the City of Thunder Bay with its Municipal residential drinking water. Lake Superior is the source of water for the City of Thunder Bay's Municipal drinking water system with the surface water intake located 750 metres off shore at Bare Point.

Rosslyn Village located in the Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge has the only other Municipal residential drinking system in the Lakehead Source Protection Area. The Rosslyn Village Municipal system draws its water from two groundwater wells, which are operated alternately.

The Lakehead Source Protection Committee is developing a Source Protection Plan to protect the source water for the two local Municipal residential drinking water systems under Regulation of the "Clean Water Act".

"A Guide for Source Protection of Drinking Water"
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Pick up a FREE copy of the 12-page booklet at the office of the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority.

kid drinking water

Source Protection Area
The Lakehead Source Protection Area is one of eight (8) Source Protection Areas and 11 Source Protection Regions created across the province by Regulation in the “Clean Water Act”.

The Lakehead Source Protection Area expands beyond the jurisdiction of the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority to include the scientific boundaries of the watershed. It is one of five Source Protection Areas in Northern Ontario. In Southern Ontario, Source Protection Regions have been formed consolidating a number of Conservation Authorities to formulate plans for their watersheds.

Cascades

Municipal Drinking Water Sources
For the first time, communities directed by a Source Protection Committee will be required to look at their Municipal residential drinking water sources, identify potential threats of contamination, and create and carry out a plan to protect both the quality and quantity of Municipal residential drinking water sources.

Our drinking water comes from lakes, rivers, streams or underground sources (aquifers). Drinking water sources can be easily contaminated and have a limited tolerance for stress. Long term problems can develop and are costly or even impossible to correct.

The Walkerton Inquiry determined that Drinking Water is best protected by taking an approach that uses multiple barriers to prevent contamination. Known as the 'multi barrier approach', it includes taking actions to prevent contamination of sources of our water, using adequate water treatment and distribution systems, water testing and training of water managers.

In order to make sure we have enough clean water for drinking and other uses, we need to protect sources by managing the influences on them. The best way to protect sources of water is on a watershed basis because water flows across traditional jurisdictional boundaries such as towns and cities.

Made possible through the support of the Government of Ontario