Approved updates to the Saugeen, Grey Sauble, Northern Bruce Peninsula Assessment Reports and Source Protection Plan

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 Saugeen, Grey Sauble, Northern Bruce Peninsula Source Protection Region, the Director has approved updates to assessment reports and the Minister has approved updates to the source protection plan.

The Saugeen Valley Source Protection Authority, the lead source protection authority for the Saugeen, Grey Sauble, Northern Bruce Peninsula Source Protection Region, prepared these updates ensuring the continued protection of sources of drinking water in this region.

These changes enhance protections for sources of drinking water by ensuring that water quality and quantity policies and protections are based on current science and modeling.

Working with our partners, our strong protection framework will continue to help ensure Ontario’s drinking water is held to high safety standards and that sources of drinking water in the province are protected for future generations.

Updates to the assessment report and source protection plan

The updates to the assessment reports include:

• revised water quality protection areas around the wells of the Blair’s Grove, Durham, and Dundalk drinking water systems
• a new event-based area around the East Linton system, where modeling has shown that a spill from fuel storage could have an impact on the source of drinking water

All water quality protection zones can be viewed on the Source Protection Information Atlas.

The source protection plan policies for threats related to road salt, fuel storage and policies to implement section 59 of the Clean Water Act, 2006 that establish a municipal screening process have been updated.

The source protection authority completed the updates in accordance with the requirements set out in the Clean Water Act, 2006 and Ontario Regulation 287/07 (General).

These updates take effect upon this posting of the approval.

Other consultation opportunities:

The Saugeen 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
• Indigenous communities

The source protection authority also held public consultation on the proposed amendments from October 13 to November 19, 2021.

The Clean Water Act, 2006 General Regulation 287/07 requires the source protection committee to send a notice to the chief of the band of any part of a First Nation reserve located in the area affected by the proposed plan updates. There are two First Nations with reserves in the region:

• the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation have a reserve at Neyaashiinigmiing (Cape Croker)
• the Saugeen First Nation has reserves on the Lake Huron shoreline near Southampton and Sauble Beach.

The source protection committee maintains regular communications with, and engagement opportunities for, these First Nations and local Metis communities.

The source protection authority considered comments received, including from the County of Wellington, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the public; and made appropriate revisions.

The approved updates to the assessment reports and Saugeen, Grey Sauble, Northern Bruce Peninsula Source Protection Plan are available via the link provided in the Supporting materials section of this notice and on the Saugeen, Grey Sauble, Northern Bruce Peninsula Source Protection Region website.

Other information:

The Minister has concluded that the requirements under the Clean Water Act, 2006 have been met.

Please see related environmental registry notice 013-4306.