Approval to further protect sources of drinking water in the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region

The Ontario government is committed to protecting our lakes, waterways and groundwater supply, now and for future generations. To ensure that the quality of Ontario’s municipal drinking water sources continue to be protected in the Rideau Valley Source Protection Area, we have approved amendments to the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan and Assessment Report, as recommended by the Rideau Valley Source Protection Authority.

Protecting Ontario’s water resources is a key commitment in our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan.

Amendments to the assessment report and source protection plan

The Rideau Valley Source Protection Authority prepared the amendments to help further protect sources of drinking water.

The amendments include:

• revised water quality protection areas for the new Kemptville well, including its existing wells, and for the neighbouring Merrickville drinking water system in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville
• updated source protection plan policies for the storage of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) and organic solvents to improve plan implementation
• updated source protection plan mapping

Changes to the policies were made, which means both the new and existing policies will apply throughout the region, including in the updated protection areas.

The source protection authority completed the amendments in accordance with the legislative and regulatory requirements set out in the Clean Water Act and Ontario Regulation 287/07 (General).

The amendments take effect upon posting on the Environmental Registry.

Other public consultation opportunities:

The Rideau Valley Source Protection Authority held consultations while the amendments were being developed. They invited comments from:

• the public
• implementing bodies affected by changes to the protection zones, including the provincial government and local municipalities
• the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

The source protection authority also held public consultation on the proposed amendments from September 27 to November 7, 2019.

The source protection authority considered comments and made appropriate revisions. We considered comments received as part of the review process.

The approved amendments to the Rideau Valley Assessment Report and Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan are available via the link provided in this notice and on the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region website.

Other information:

The minister has concluded that the legislative requirements under the Clean Water Act have been met and that the comments the source protection authority received during consultation on the assessment report and source protection plan amendments have been adequately considered and addressed.

Please see related environmental registry notices 012-2305 and 013-4633 for additional information on the Mississippi-Rideau source protection plan.