Source Protection Plans

Source protection plans are policy documents required by the Clean Water Act, 2006. They contain policies that manage threats to sources of drinking water. Threats result from human activity in vulnerable areas for drinking water sources. There are 22 source protection plans across the province.

Locally, the Trent Source Protection Plan came into effect in 2015.

What do source protection plan policies do?

Source protection plan policies manage threats to municipal drinking water sources in vulnerable areas. Each policy identifies:

The threat to which the policy applies;
The vulnerable area where the policy applies;
If the policy applies to an existing and/or future threat;
Required action(s) to protect the drinking water source; and,
Who is responsible for implementing the policy. This may be the municipality, Risk Management Official, provincial ministry or a conservation authority.

How do source protection plan policies protect drinking water sources?

Source protection plan policies use a variety of tools to manage threats.

Tools used to manage threats

Risk Management Plan (RMP)

A RMP is a site-specific legal agreement used to manage a threat. RMPs set out required actions to protect a municipal drinking water source. Risk Management Officials negotiate (or establish) RMPs with the person engaged in the threat. RMPs are not transferable and or registered on title and can be amended by the Risk Management Official.

A RMP may be simple if best management practices are already in place. They may set out more practices to be followed to protect a municipal drinking water source.

Prohibition

This tool prohibits threats from occurring. Locally, Trent Source Protection Plan policies use prohibition to manage some future threats. These are activities that were not occurring when the policy came into effect, or in the 10 years prior for agricultural activities. Contact the Risk Management Office to find out the effective date of policies in a particular vulnerable area.

Restricted Land Use

This tool triggers the Risk Management Official to review proposed development. This will identify potential threats and applicable policies. A Restricted Land Use Notice is issued if prohibition policies do not apply. If a risk management plan is required, a Notice is issued after the risk management plan is in place. The municipality cannot approve the proposed development in the absence of a Notice.

Land Use Planning

Land use planning decisions must follow source protection plan policies. Updates to Official Plans and zoning by-laws may be necessary.

Prescribed Instrument (PI)

PIs are provincial permits or approvals. Examples include Environmental Compliance Approvals and Nutrient Management Plans or Strategies. PIs may need to be updated to comply with the source protection plan. In some cases, a policy may not allow a PI to be issued. If a PI is in place, a risk management plan is not required.

Education and Outreach

This tool raises awareness and promotes actions to protect drinking water sources.

Incentive Programs

This tool promotes programs that encourage people to take actions that protect drinking water sources.

Other

This tool promotes:

Actions to achieve source protection plan objectives;
Stewardship programs;
Best management practices;
Establishing pilot programs; and,
Research and data collection.

Where do local source protection plan policies apply?

Trent Source Protection Plan policies apply in vulnerable areas for municipal residential drinking water systems. There are 13 of these vulnerable areas in the Otonabee-Peterborough Source Protection Area.


Vulnerable Area	Municipality
Alpine Village/Pirates Glen Wellhead Protection Area	Municipality of Trent Lakes
Birch Point Wellhead Protection Area	City of Kawartha Lakes
Buckhorn Lake Estates Wellhead Protection Area	Municipality of Trent Lakes
Crystal Springs Wellhead Protection Area	Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan
Havelock Wellhead Protection Area	Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen
Hastings Intake Protection Zone	Township of Asphodel-Norwood, Municipality of Trent Lakes
Keene Heights Subdivision Wellhead Protection Area	Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan
Lakefield Intake Protection Zone	Township of Selwyn, Township of Douro-Dummer, City of Peterborough
Lansdowne Wellhead Protection Area	Township of Cavan Monaghan
Millbrook Wellhead Protection Area	Township of Cavan Monaghan
Norwood Wellhead Protection Area	Township of Asphodel-Norwood, Township of Douro-Dummer
Peterborough Intake Protection Zone	City of Peterborough, Township of Selwyn, Township of Douro-Dummer
Pinewood Wellhead Protection Area	City of Kawartha Lakes

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Terri Cox
Risk Management Official / Inspector
Otonabee Conservation

250 Milroy Drive
Peterborough, Ontario, K9H 7M9
Voice: (705) 745-5791 ext. 219
Email: tcox@otonabeeconservation.com