[All] GRCA drinking water source protection

[Susan Koswan]

Hi GRENers,

I’ve been scanning the latest GRCA Drinking Water Source Protection paper to
see if they incorporated anything from our submission. They are still not
including residential lawns as a threat, so obviously have no idea that the
application rate of synthetic fertilizers is much higher per square foot on
lawns than farm fields, end up scattered on hard surfaces (sidewalks,
driveways) and then are washed into the stormwater system and the Grand
River. I guess the question is whether those same residential lawns are
within municipal wellhead areas. 

“residential lawns were not included as part of the non-agricultural managed
land because they likely do not represent a significant nutrient loading to
municipal aquifers”.pg 9-33
http://www.sourcewater.ca/swp_watersheds_grand/GRAR_Proposed_Ch9.pdf

Also, we had said that excavation activities below the water table DO pose a
threat, yet (as you can see below) the MoE does not include them. My really,
really big concern is that if the provincial government is NOT identifying
this as a threat, then there is no way they can stop the huge quarry in
Melancthon. Rather than a candlelit vigil, wouldn’t it make more sense to
apply our limited resources to lobby the province to list this as a threat
to drinking water quality? 

“Threats relating to excavation activities below the water table that breach
the confining layer protecting an aquifer for drinking water source are not
currently identified as activities that may be a threat to drinking water.
The Lake Erie Region Source Protection Committee has urged the Minister of
the Environment and the Director of the Source Protection Programs Branch to
add excavation that breaches the aquitard protecting a municipal drinking
water supply aquifer to the list of activities that are prescribed drinking
water threats. The letters sent to the Ministry as well as Ministry‟s
response are attached in Appendix D. Discussions are ongoing to find ways to
address the concerns of the Lake Erie Region Source Protection Committee.
(pg ES-3 – same link as above)

This is the Ministry’s response: 

 
http://www.sourcewater.ca/swp_watersheds_grand/2011_GR_DraftAmendedAR_A_D.pd
f on page 4

Susan K 




bounces at gren.ca [mailto:all-bounces at gren.ca] On Behalf Of Louisette
Lanteigne
Sent: April-29-11 3:25 PM
To: all at gren.ca
Subject: [All] Fw: GRCA News: Public meeting for Waterloo Region residents
on drinking water source protection




 
Grand River Conservation Authority

Friday, April 29, 2011
Release ON RECEIPT

News Release
Public meeting for Waterloo Region residents
on drinking water source protection
A public meeting will be held Tuesday, May 10 to give residents of Waterloo
Region an update on work being done to protect the sources of municipal
drinking water supplies.
The meeting will be at the Region of Waterloo headquarters building, 150
Frederick St., Kitchener from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Information will be presented on studies done of the drinking water sources
in the Region. The information is contained in a document called the Draft
Amended Assessment Report for the Grand River Source Protection Area. The
report describes the sources of water used by the municipal systems, how
vulnerable they are to contamination and the types of activities taking
place in vulnerable areas that could contaminate the water sources.
People attending the meeting can provide comments in person or they can
submit written comments by Saturday, May 21. 
The original version of the Assessment Report was released in August 2010
and subject to public consultation through the fall. Since then, additional
research has led to new information that will be included in the amended
version.
Some of the new information relates to the boundaries of wellhead and intake
protection areas and the addition of possible significant threats.
Landowners who may be affected by the changes have also been sent an
information package in the mail.
The report is an important step in the multi-year process of developing a
Source Water Protection Plan for all municipal water systems in the Grand
River watershed. The plan will identify the policies and programs needed to
reduce the risks to source water posed by human activities. The plan is to
be completed by August 2012.
That effort is being overseen by the Lake Erie Region Source Protection
Committee. The committee was set up under the Ontario Clean Water Act, which
was passed by the Ontario legislature in response to the Walkerton water
crisis. 
See the report
*	Online at www.sourcewater.ca
*	GRCA office, 400 Clyde Rd., Cambridge
*	Region of Waterloo office, 150 Frederick St.,Kitchener
Submit written comments by Saturday, May 21
o	E-mail: 	comments at sourcewater.ca
o	Fax:	519-621-4945
o	Mail: 	Martin Keller, Source Protection Program Manager
	Lake Erie Source Protection Region
	c/o Grand River Conservation Authority
	400 Clyde Road, Cambridge ON N1R 5W6

-30-

Further information: Dave Schultz, GRCA Manager of Communications
Phone: (519) 621-2763, Ext. 2273; Cell: (519) 658-3896
E-mail: dschultz at grandriver.ca Website: www.grandriver.ca

If you are a subscriber of the GRCA News Service and would like to
unsubscribe, please visit our website here:
http://www.grandriver.ca/Newsroom/News.cfm?id=376 
 
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