Approved amendment to the Nottawasaga Valley Assessment Report and associated South Georgian Bay Lake Simcoe Source Protection Plan for the Nottawasaga Valley Source Protection Area.

The CWA ensures communities protect their drinking water supplies through prevention – by developing collaborative, watershed-based source protection plans that are locally driven and based on science.

The Shelburne Water Supply System consists of six groundwater supply wells: 4 within the Nottawasaga Valley Source Protection Area and 2 within the Grand River Source Protection Area. Increasing water demand on the Shelburne Water Supply System has driven the need for increased water taking from one of the wells, which required a groundwater study to evaluate and update the wellhead protection areas and vulnerability scores. This study employed an improved representation of the geologic layers and so updated estimates of groundwater recharge in all 6 wells were incorporated into amendment and a WHPA-E was delineated for two wells in Nottawasaga Valley, where it has been demonstrated that groundwater is under the direct influence of surface water.

 The Lake Simcoe Source Protection Authority held consultations while the amendments were being developed. Consultation was held from January 25, 2023 to March 8, 2023 and again from April 15, 2024 to May 22, 2024. Pursuant to the Clean Water Act, 2006, they invited comments from:

• implementing bodies (including provincial government ministries and local municipalities)
• the public and affected landowners
• First Nations with reserves in the affected area

One question was submitted to the SPA requesting clarification which was provided by the SPA to the member of the public before submitting the proposed amendments to the Ministry for approval.

The Minister has concluded that the comments the source protection authority received during consultation on the Nottawasaga Valley Assessment Report and South Georgian Bay Lake Simcoe Source Protection Plan amendments have been adequately considered and addressed, and that the requirements under the Clean Water Act, 2006 relating to the amendments have been met.

These amendments take effect upon this posting of the Minister’s approval on the Environmental Registry. The approved amendments to the Nottawasaga Valley Assessment Report and South Georgian Bay Lake Simcoe Source Protection Plan are available on the South Georgian Bay Lake Simcoe Source Protection Region’s website.