Protecting Water

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water pouring into cupped hands

In Waterloo Region, some of our drinking water comes from the Grand River but most comes from groundwater wells. Protecting our drinking water sources from contamination helps to ensure clean water for now and in the future. The Water Resources Protection Master Plan and Chapter 8 of the Regional Official Plan detail our approaches to keeping water clean, areas to protect, activities to manage and programs to deliver.

How you can help keep water clean

At your urban home:

Limit winter salt use with these snow and ice clearing tips
Set your water softener to the correct water hardness
Return unused and expired medication to your pharmacy
Properly store and dispose of chemicals, oils and paints

At your rural home:

Properly maintain private wells and plug and seal unused wells
Sign up for reminders to test your water
Properly maintain septic systems

Around the farm:

Follow best management practices for nutrients
Learn if funding is available through the Rural Water Quality Program
Read Stories from the Field to learn how farmers are protecting water quality

On industrial properties:

Properly handle and store chemicals
Develop and train staff on a spills response plan
Include winter maintenance best practices on use of salt and de-icers
Keep pollutants out of sanitary and storm sewers

Source Protection Plan and Clean Water Act

The Source Protection Plan (SPP) protects municipal wells and surface water intakes from specific activities that may pose a threat to drinking water.

The Ontario government passed the Clean Water Act in 2006 to protect drinking water. The Clean Water Act established a process for developing local, watershed-based Source Protection Plans. The Grand River Source Protection Plan includes the polices for the Region of Waterloo.

Learn more about the Source Protection Plan and how it might affect you:

Video : what is a Source Protection Plan
Fact sheet : Source Protection Plan: answers to your questions

Does the Source Protection Plan apply to my property?

Use the TAPS online tool following these instructions on how to use TAPS to find out if Source Protection Plan policies apply to your property or a property you plan to purchase.

Source Protection Plan policies may apply when:

applying for a building permit or planning approval in a source protection area
there is an activity of concern in a source protection area

Building permits and planning approval applications

Important: FAQ for the Updated Source Protection Plan

Building permits and planning approval applications for source protection areas are only granted after screening for potential threats to drinking water. Some permits and applications may be refused or may first require a Risk Management Plan.

To submit your application you must first find out if Source Protection Plan policies apply. Find out with the TAPS online tool following instructions on how to use TAPS.

Properties requiring the negotiation of a Risk Management Plan should first contact the Risk Management Official. This is to confirm actions you need to take and to discuss the process, which may include the completion of a Risk Management Plan worksheet. The worksheet includes practices to help reduce the risk of the activity to our drinking water supplies.

Learn more about the building permits and planning approval applications process:

Video : Notice of Source Protection Plan Compliance
Fact sheet : Source Protection Plan: planning and building permit approvals

Negotiating a Risk Management Plan

A Risk Management Plan is a legally binding agreement between you and the Region of Waterloo's Risk Management Official. It is a site-specific negotiated agreement identifying best management practices you will use to protect our water supply from activities occurring on your property.

If you need a Risk Management Plan your will either be:

Contacted by the Risk Management Official if you are located in a source protection area and already doing one of the activities which requires a risk management plan. The property owner does not need to do anything until contacted by the Risk Management Official. There are many properties in the Region that require Risk Management Plans and it will take several years to reach every one.
through the building permit and planning approval application process. The Building Permits and Planning Approval Applications section on this page includes how to find out if Source Protection Plan policies apply and, if required, resources to negotiate a Risk Management Plan.

Learn more about negotiating a Risk Management Plan:

Video : negotiating a Risk Management Plan
Fact sheet : Source Protection Plan: negotiating your Risk Management Plan

Sewer Use By-law and industrial monitoring enforcement

The Sewer Use By-law 1-90 regulates and controls discharge of water and wastewater into the sanitary and/or storm sewer distribution system in Waterloo Region. The bylaw protects the wastewater distribution system, the wastewater treatment plant operation and ultimately water quality of the Grand River.

Spills response

Report a spill immediately if you witness a spill or suspect one has occurred or is about to occur. Quick actions can reduce clean-up time and protect the local environment. A spill is the release of a substance harmful to the environment - such as oil, fuel, chemicals or pesticides - into a sewer or the environment.

The Region of Waterloo provides 24-hour emergency response to environmental spills. Responsibilities include:

A prompt investigation of reported spills
Containment or cleanup measures to minimize damage to the natural environment
Notifying affected parties if a chemical spill could affect the Region of Waterloo Mannheim and/or Brantford drinking water treatment plants

Drinking Water Protection Area road signs

Waterloo Region relies on groundwater for drinking water. The Region of Waterloo manages over 120 supply wells throughout Waterloo Region that provide the groundwater we use every day for drinking, cooking, washing, and so much more.

Each supply well is in a Wellhead Protection Area. The Wellhead Protection Area maps out the length of time and path groundwater takes to reach each supply well. You can find Drinking Water Protection Area signs on regional roads within Wellhead Protection Areas. The distance listed on each sign is the length of travel along the road before you reach the end of the Wellhead Protection Area zone.

Region of Waterloo drinking water protection area road sign

Drinking Water Protection Area road signs are reminders we all have a role to play protecting this important resource. For ideas on how you can help, read the I Am Groundwater blog post "9 actions you can take as a groundwater protector".

Brownfield sites

The Potable Groundwater Criteria Use document outlines requirements of the developer for the clean up of groundwater on a brownfield site. Learn more about planning and development services and incentives for brownfield sites.

Other resources