In the Cataraqui Source Protection Area (CSPA), about 80 per cent of residents (approximately 170, 000 people) rely on municipal drinking water systems that draw on surface water or groundwater. The other approximately 40, 000 residents in the CSPA obtain their drinking water from private intakes or wells.
Drinking Water Protection Road Signs
New road signs are in place to identify zones along frequently travelled roads where accidental pollution spills could travel quickly to a public drinking water source and contaminate it. These signs are standard in Ontario and are to alert emergency first responders that a drinking water source is nearby and to increase public awareness of the drinking water protection areas.
What are Drinking Water Protection Road Signs?
Municipal Residential Groundwater Supplies
Three municipalities in the CSPA own drinking water supplies that serve residential uses:
The Assessment Report delineated wellhead protection areas (WHPAs) for each of the municipal wells. It also determined the well’s vulnerability to contamination from activities that are currently taking place (or that could take place in the future) in the wellhead protection areas and are termed “drinking water threats” as per the Clean Water Act.
What is a Wellhead Protection Area?
Municipal Residential Surface Water Supplies
Eight communities in the CSPA get their drinking water from a lake or river:
- Amherstview (Fairfield)
- Bath
- Brockville
- Gananoque (James W. King)
- Kingston
- Napanee (A.L. Dafoe)
- Sandhurst Shores
- Sydenham
The Assessment Report delineated intake protection zones (IPZs) for each of the surface intakes. It also determined the intake’s vulnerability to contamination from activities that are currently taking place (or that could take place in the future) in the intake protection zones and are termed “drinking water threats” as per the Clean Water Act.
What is an Intake Protection Zone?
Regionally Sensitive Groundwater Areas
Some residents in the CSPA are not connected to a municipal drinking water system, and instead rely on groundwater drawn from private wells. The Assessment Report identified regionally sensitive groundwater areas across the CSPA, which are called highly vulnerable aquifers and significant groundwater recharge areas. More than 90 per cent of the CSPA is considered to be a highly vulnerable aquifer and/or a significant groundwater recharge area.
What is a Regionally Sensitive Groundwater Area?
Want a refresher on source water protection? Check out these fact sheets!
- Cataraqui Source Protection Plan Primer
- Source Protection 101: FAQs
- Quick Facts for Municipalities
- Quick Facts for Agriculture
Want to know how you might be affected by the Cataraqui Source Protection Plan? Check out our Interactive Maps »
What can you do for Source Water Protection? Learn how to protect your drinking water sources »
