Activities
Our staff and Source Protection Committee have been working in a number of areas over the past several years.
Communications and Consultation
Communications and consultation will be ongoing throughout the source protection planning process.
A public open house was held in April 2008 to present the preliminary findings of the Sydenham Intake Protection Zone study.
In May 2008, three public open houses were held across the Cataraqui Source Protection Area to obtain public input and comment on the preparation of our Terms of Reference.
In May and June 2009, seven public open houses were held in communities around the Cataraqui Source Protection Area to present and get public input on the findings of our technical studies on municipal drinking water intakes and municipal wells.
Three public open houses were held in May to provide an opportunity for public consultation on our Draft Assessment Report.
The public consultation and subsequent improvements led to the publication of a Proposed Assessment Report. This was published on July 21, 2010 for public review. The review period for the Proposed Assessment Report ended on August 20, 2010.
The report was adopted by the Cataraqui Source Protection Authority and submitted to the Minister of Environment in October 2010.
Revisions to the Assessment Report were undertaken in late 2010 and early 2011. A Revised Assessment Report was published on April 27, 2011. A public open house was held in May 2011. The report was finalized in June 2011 and was approved by the Ontario Ministry of Environment in October 2011.
In 2011 we began preparing a source protection plan. To help us develop a plan that works well for our communities, we hosted a series of community roundtables beginning in January 2011. More information about our roundtables is available by clicking here.
Municipalities and other organizations who will be responsible for implementing the source protection plan have also been consulted and have been able to review draft policies.
From January to March 2012 we will be meeting with our local municipal councils to provide an overview of the policies in the source protection plan. Click here for a schedule of our council meetings. All of these meetings are open to the public.
We anticipate that the plan will be released for public comment in February or March 2012. Public open houses will be held in March. Please check our official notices page for details.
One of our main ways of providing information is through this website. As studies are completed, information will be posted on this website. Also, notification of upcoming meetings and postings of new regulations and guidelines will also be provided here.
Updates will also be provided through the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority newsletter Cat Tales, through the local news media and through an electronic newsletter. Click here to send an e-mail and request to be put on our e-newsletter mailing list.
Data Collection and Analysis
Over the past few years we have compiled and analyzed existing data about our watersheds including natural features, human settlement, water use, and potential sources of contamination. This helped us to identify issues, data gaps and potential sources for additional data. Where these data gaps were identified, staff and consultants gathered additional data in the field.
Our steps have included:
- researching and monitoring of our region
- developing and publishing studies on various aspects of drinking water source protection
- assessing the risks to our drinking water.
Studies
As part of our data collection and analysis, various studies have been completed. We have examined things like the movement of water near municipal wells and drinking water intakes and we have assessed the potential risks to drinking water.
For more information on our studies, click on the links in the sidebar. As these studies are completed, additional information will be posted on this website.
How long will this take?
The start-up phase of this project was underway during 2005 through 2007. The planning process is expected to continue until 2012. Click here to view a flow chart of our process.
Who will pay for the work?
The Province of Ontario will pay 100 per cent of the costs to complete the source water protection plans.
The responsibility for implementing the plans will be shared between the province, municipalities, local agencies and individual water users.
Where can I get more information?
As things progress, additional information will be posted on this website. Related resources are available by clicking on the links provided on this site.
Contact:
Rob McRae MCIP, RPP
Project Manager
Phone: (613) 546-4228 ext. 224 or toll-free (613 area code) 1-877-956-CRCA
E-mail: robmcrae@cataraquiregion.on.ca.
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