By Staff
November 18th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
On November 4, 2022, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks approved updates to the Halton-Hamilton Source Protection Plan to ensure that municipal drinking water sources are protected for communities in both watersheds. This update, which came into effect on November 18, 2022, is the first comprehensive revision to the Halton-Hamilton Source Protection Plan since it was first approved in 2015.
The update included four years of technical work to ensure that surface water intake protection areas for Hamilton (Woodward) and Halton (Burlington, Burloak, and Oakville) are properly mapped and the risks to sources of drinking water are accurately identified. This technical work was also conducted for the protection areas for municipal wells in Hamilton (Freelton, Carlisle, and Greensville) and Halton (Campbellville, Kelso, and Walkers Line).
There are 13 creeks that feed through Burlington and into Lake Ontario. Some of those creeks are shown here. Several of them rose over there banks during the 2014 flash floods.
“To protect municipal drinking water sources, it is important to do regular, comprehensive updates of the local source protection plan to make sure the plan is up-to-date and reflects the latest science and changes on the landscape,” says Martin Keller, Senior Manager, Watershed Planning and Source Protection, Conservation Halton. “We have updated the plan to make sure communities can be confident that their sources of municipal drinking water are protected.”
The update also includes new and revised policies to address implementation challenges and reflect provincial changes under the Clean Water Act (2006). The Halton-Hamilton Source Protection Committee, which is comprised of representatives from municipalities, business, industry, farmers, landowners and other stakeholders, was formed under the Clean Water Act.
The process of updating the Halton-Hamilton Source Protection Plan included public consultation with members of the public and stakeholders throughout 2021. If you would like to learn more about the changes, visit protectingwater.ca.
The Halton-Hamilton Source Protection Program is directed and funded by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in partnership with municipalities. Conservation Halton and Hamilton Conservation Authority work together to administer the program and provide technical and communication support for the planning process. Conservation Halton is the lead authority for the Halton-Hamilton Source Protection Region, which is one of 19 source protection regions in the province.
Have you seen these road signs? They are installed by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and the City of Hamilton to mark the location of drinking water vulnerable areas and the need to protect drinking water sources. Spills along roads can contaminate our sources of drinking water. If a spill occurs in a vulnerable area, emergency responders will be reminded to inform the Spills Action Centre
