The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority has released its proposed plan to protect the Thunder Bay area's water sources.

The chair of the committee that oversees water quality said there are no imminent threats to the city's water supply, but the community of Rosslyn faces two particular challenges.

Bob Hartley said the plan calls for the Thunder Bay and District Health Unit to routinely inspect septic systems close to wells in Rosslyn. It will also place restrictions on the one farm property that's inside the well-head protection area.

But Hartley said he believes those challenges “will be resolved” as a result of the proposed plan.

The authority will hold two public meetings about its proposals next week.

Draft Proposed Source Protection Plan, Lakehead Source Protection Area

Background from the Lakehead Source Protection Committee

The Lakehead Source Protection Committee, through resources provided by the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, is overseeing work of the Lakehead Source Protection Committee to develop a Source Protection Plan to protect the sources of Municipal residential drinking water in the watershed defined as the Lakehead Source Protection Area.

The Government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Environment is funding Conservation Authorities to coordinate source water protection at the local level.

Work on the development of the local Source Protection Plan began in July 2007 with the passing of the "Clean Water Act". The Lakehead Source Protection Authority and subsequently, the Lakehead Source Protection Committee were formed under Regulation of the "ACT".

The "Clean Water Act" requires that Source Protection Authorities and Source Protection Committees formed across the province work together with their local Municipalities and stakeholders to develop watershed-based source protection plans for their defined Source Protection Areas or Regions.

These plans will focus on protecting source water that supplies Municipal residential drinking water systems. Source Protection Plans for the 19 Source Protection Area and Regions across Ontario are expected to be completed by August 2012.

Source Protection Planning Process

The Lakehead Source Protection Committee is developing a Source Protection Plan under Regulation of the "Clean Water Act" to protect the source water for the only two indentified local Municipal residential drinking water systems in the Lakehead Source Protection Area.

The Bare Point Water Treatment Plant supplies the City of Thunder Bay with its Municipal residential drinking water. Lake Superior is the source of water for the City of Thunder Bay's Municipal drinking water system with the surface water intake located 750 metres off shore at Bare Point. Bare Point is the single source of Municipal residential drinking water for the City of Thunder Bay, serving a population of over 100,000.

Rosslyn Village, located in the Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge, has the only other Municipal residential drinking system in the Lakehead Source Protection Area. The Rosslyn Village Municipal system draws its water from two groundwater wells, which are operated alternately and supplies about 30 homes in the village.

Source: www.sourceprotection.net