Approved updates to the Cataraqui Source Protection Plan and Assessment Report.

The CWA supports communities in protecting their drinking water sources from contamination and depletion. It does this by encouraging the creation of collaborative, science-based, watershed protection plans that are locally driven and focused on prevention.

Updates to the Assessment Report

The updates to the assessment report include:

• updated the criteria for assessing activities such as using, handling, or storing salt; storing snow; and handling or storing fuel, to determine the level of risk they pose to drinking water
• recognized liquid hydrocarbon pipelines as a drinking water threat
• updated the vulnerability scores and references for significant groundwater recharge areas (SGRAs) to align with the updated assessment standards (i.e., 2021 technical rules)

Updates to the Source Protection Plan

The updates to the source protection plan include:

• addition of 13 new policies
• revisions to previously approved policies

The policy changes described above were undertaken and approved to:

• align with the approved changes to the 2021 Technical Rules under the Clean Water Act, 2006, including updated vulnerability scores and thresholds for activities such as fuel storage and road salt
• improve implementation of, and reporting on, prescribed instrument policies
• clarify and simplify policy text

The Cataraqui Source Protection Authority conducted consultations while the updates were being developed. Public consultation was held from February 29, 2024, to April 3, 2024. Pursuant to the Clean Water Act, 2006, comments were invited from:

• implementing bodies, including provincial government ministries and local municipalities
• the public and affected landowners
• bands with reserves in the affected area

Comments submitted to the Cataraqui Source Protection Authority included a combination of minor administrative or editorial comments, questions seeking clarification, and more substantive comments on some policies. However, none of these comments, aside from those submitted by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, resulted in changes to the proposed updates. Comments from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks led to both minor and substantive revisions to policies and the assessment report. The authority considered and addressed all comments received and made appropriate revisions and responses.

The minister has concluded that the comments received during consultation on the updates to the Cataraqui Source Protection Plan and Assessment Report have been adequately considered and addressed, and the legislative and regulatory requirements under the Clean Water Act, 2006 relating to the updates have been met.

These updates take effect on June 1, 2026. The approved updates to the Cataraqui Source Protection Plan and Assessment Report are available on the Cataraqui Conservation website.