Drinking Water Stewardship Program

drilled wellThe Ministry of Environment has established the Drinking Water Stewardship Fund, a support program to help landowners and businesses take action to reduce threats to local municipal drinking water sources.

Funding is provided in the following priority areas:

  • plugging (decommissioning) of old wells or maintenance of existing wells
  • septic system inspections and upgrades
  • runoff and erosion protection
  • pollution prevention audits for better storage, handling and disposal of materials
  • agriculture-related activities.

Eligible Areas

Funds are available to undertake a variety of work if your property is near a municipal well or a municipal drinking water intake pipe. Click on the links below to view PDF maps of eligible areas:

A summary of the eligible projects and funds available is provided below.

Eligible property owners were mailed letters and information about the funding program.

The deadline for the current round of funding is March 15, 2011. All work must be completed and the claim submitted by this date.

Please visit this page for updated information. Additional funding guidelines and application forms are in the process of being created.

Well Plugging or Upgrading

Properly plugging unused wells or upgrading water wells can keep wells from becoming pathways for pollutants to enter municipal drinking water sources. Funding is available to all residential, business, institutional and farm landowners whose properties are located close to a municipal well or a municipal water intake pipe.

Connection to a municipal drinking water service and decommissioning of the existing well is also eligible for funding. Both projects must be completed in order to be eligible for funding.

Grant rates are 80 per cent up to a $4,000 maximum.

Septic System Inspection and Upgrades

Improperly functioning septic systems can also cause pollution problems. Funding is available to inspect, repair, upgrade or replace faulty septic systems or holding tanks that are located close to a municipal well or a municipal water intake pipe.

Grant rates are 80 per cent up to a $7,000 maximum for eligible projects and $15,000 for advanced systems.

Runoff and Erosion Protection

Another potential source of contamination for municipal drinking water supplies is from runoff or soil erosion. Of particular interest are shoreline areas. Funding is available to landowners are located close to a municipal well or a municipal water intake pipe to install or restore buffers near shoreline areas.

Eligible projects and grant rates are summarized below:

  • manure land application - 70 per cent up to $10,000
  • shoreline area management - 50 per cent up to $20,000
  • erosion control structures - 50 per cent up to $20,000
  • cover crops - 70 per cent up to $5,000
  • nutrient management planning - 25 per cent up to $1,500
  • soil erosion and salinity control planning - 25 per cent up to $1,500
  • upland and shoreline area habitat management - 50 per cent up to $20,000
  • shoreline health assessment - 25 per cent up to $1,500.

Pollution Prevention Reviews

Pollution prevention audits will be available to small and medium-sized businesses that are located near a municipal well or a municipal water intake pipe. These audits will be available to businesses that manufacture, handle, store and dispose of materials into water, land or air. They will also identify threats to sources of municipal drinking water.

Grant rates are 100 per cent up to $12,000.

Agriculture Related Activities

Funding is available for registered farms through the local Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) representative for the following types of projects:

  • manure storage and handling
  • manure treatment
  • in-barn improvements
  • farmyard and horticultural facilities runoff control
  • produce and waste management.

Application Forms and Publications

To obtain copies of application forms, guidelines or publications about this program please click here to go to our publications page.

For More Information

Or to make an application, please contact Lauren Forrester at:

  • (613) 546-4228 ext. 290
  • toll-free (613 area code) 1-877-956-CRCA (2722)
  • e-mail at lforrester@cataraquiregion.on.ca.

Registered farms should apply to their local OSCIA representative:

  • Lennox and Addington - Stan Meeks (613) 478-5472
  • Frontenac; Leeds and Grenville - Rita Vogel (613) 275-2956.

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Drinking Water Stewardship Program

For application forms, guidelines and publications related to this program, please click here to visit our publications page.

Terms of Reference

Studies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority Conservation Ontario Government of Ontario

 

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