Clean Water Cataraqui

Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River Intake Protection Zone Study

Brockville and St Lawrence River Most of the municipal drinking water in the Cataraqui Source Protection Area comes from Lake Ontario or the St. Lawrence River. There are eight municipal drinking water intakes that are being examined as part of this study:

Greater Napanee - A.L. Dafoe Municipal Intake
Greater Napanee - Sandhurst Shores Municipal Intake
Loyalist Township - Bath Municipal Intake
Loyalist Township - Fairfield Municipal Intake
Kingston - Central Municipal Intake
Kingston - Point Pleasant Municipal Intake
Gananoque Municipal Intake
Brockville Municipal Intake.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose is to determine where the water comes from for each of these municipal intakes and how quickly it reaches the intake. The study also examines potential impacts on the water from nearby land uses and land practices.

As part of this study, Intake Protection Zones (IPZ) around each of the eight drinking water intakes are being calculated.

The final part of the study will include recommendations on what needs to be done to protect these drinking water sources.

Who is Doing the Work?

The work is being done by the Queen's University Centre for Water and the Environment under the direction of the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority. The five municipalities with the drinking water intakes are providing input to the study as part of a technical advisory group.

Intake Protection Zones

The methods for determining Intake Protection Zones (IPZ) are prescribed by the Ministry of Environment.

In the Cataraqui Source Protection Area, we have two different types of intakes:

Type A is a Great Lake intake (Greater Napanee, Loyalist and Kingston intakes)
Type B is a connecting channel intake (Gananoque and Brockville intakes).

The type of intake affects the size and shape of the IPZ. Illustrations of these IPZs are shown here.

IPZ-1 is a one km radius around the drinking water intake. IPZ-2 is calculated based on a two-hour time of travel for water to move into the drinking water intake.

IPZ-3 is developed using hydrodynamic computer modelling of intakes and the surrounding water. It is based on whether contaminants could enter the intake during an extreme event such as a storm with high winds. We are now in the process of doing this modelling.

Study Methods

The first step in undertaking this study was to locate each drinking water intake and gather information about the intake and the water treatment plant. Critical information includes the distance of the intake from the shore, water depth and the response time for the water treatment plant operator in the event of a spill.

Data about water movement due to wind and currents was calculated using a combination of field measurements, weather data and computer modelling. This helped us to determine which direction the water comes from and how quickly it flows to the intake during different wind and weather conditions.

This information is then used to map the Intake Protection Zones (IPZ) as described above.

Once the zones are identified, we examine how vulnerable those areas are to contamination based on the local conditions. As part of this process, we identify potential sources of contamination to the drinking water as well as water quality issues at the water intake. Scores are produced for any potential sources of contamination and additional information is gathered on those sources that are thought to be significant.

After this is done, recommendations are developed to protect the source of municipal drinking water.

Preliminary Findings

Water typically moves from west to east, in the expected direction of the current. However, it can flow in other directions depending on the wind speed and direction.

The IPZs extend both upstream and downstream (east and west) of the actual intakes.

We are now in the process of determining the vulnerability of these areas to contamination based on a preliminary assessment of land uses and activities in the Intake Protection Zones.

Draft IPZ maps and vulnerability scores have been produced and will be presented at our open houses in June 2009.

The Eastern Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Intake Protection Zone Study is scheduled to be completed in August 2009. Additional information will be posted on this website as it becomes available.

Public Open Houses

A series of four public open houses will be held in June 2009 to review the preliminary findings of the Eastern Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Intake Protection Zone Study.

Location and Dates

Wednesday, June 17 - Arthur Child Heritage Museum, 125 Water St., Gananoque

Thursday, June 18 - Loyalist Golf and Country Club, 1 Loyalist Blvd., Bath

Tuesday, June 23 - Kingston Yacht Club, 1 Maitland St., Kingston

Wednesday, June 24 - Brockville Rowing Club, 1 Ferry St., Brockville

Time - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. with a presentation at 7:30 p.m.

Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River Intake Protection Zone Study

Purpose of the Study

Who is Doing the Work?

Intake Protection Zones

Study Methods

Preliminary Findings

Activities

Drinking Water Stewardship Program

Terms of Reference

Studies

Public Open Houses

Location and Dates