Sydenham Intake Protection Zone Study
The community of Sydenham is located north of Kingston in the Township of South Frontenac. The community draws its drinking water from Sydenham Lake. This lake water is treated at a drinking water treatment facility that was opened in July 2006.
This drinking water intake is the only municipal intake within the Cataraqui Source Protection Area that uses surface water from a small inland lake.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose is to determine where the water that supplies the Sydenham drinking water treatment plant comes from 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 the study, Intake Protection Zones around the drinking water intake are calculated. Recommendations on what should be done to protect the drinking water source will form the last part of the study.
Who is Doing the Work?
The work is being done by XCG Consultants Ltd. under the direction of the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority. The Township of South Frontenac and Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Public Health are also providing input to the study as part of a technical advisory group.
Intake Protection Zones
The study methods are prescribed by the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE). A generic illustration of what Intake Protection Zones would look like on a lake is provided below.
For example, Intake Protection Zone (IPZ) 1 for an inland lake is approximately a one km radius around the intake pipe for the portion which is in the water. Where IPZ-1 touches land, it is reduced to 120 metres. IPZ-1 is shown in pink on the drawing below.
IPZ-2 is generally the area where water flows during a two-hour time period. This acts as a secondary protection zone for the water intake in the event of a spill or other contaminants being released into the drinking water source. This would allow enough time for the water intake to be shut down. On the drawing below, IPZ-2 is shown in orange.
IPZ-3 is the area surrounding the intake that may contribute water to the intake. It is shown in green on the drawing below.
Study Methods
The first step in conducting the study was to locate the intake and obtain information about the treatment plant. Critical information includes the distance of the intake from shore, water depth and the response time for the water treatment plant operator in the event of a spill.
Then water movement in the lake was determined using a combination of field measurements and computer modelling. This helped us to figure out which direction and how quickly the water flows to the intake under different wind and weather conditions.
We then use this information to determine the extent of the Intake Protection Zones (IPZ) according to the MOE rules developed under the Clean Water Act.
Once the zones are identified, we examine how vulnerable those areas are to contamination based on local conditions. As part of this, we identify any potential sources of contamination to the drinking water source and any water quality issues at the water intake itself. Scores are produced for any potential sources of contamination and additional information is gathered on those sources that are thought to be significant.
This information will be used to develop a source protection plan. This plan will contain recommendations to protect the source of Sydenham's drinking water.
Study Completion
We anticipate that the study will be finalized in 2009. Additional information will be posted here as it becomes available.
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