Drinking Water Source Protection

One of the roles of the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority over the next several years is to coordinate the development of a Source Protection Plan for the five municipal drinking water systems and a well cluster in our watershed. Source Protection planning is a derivative of Ontario's Clean Water Act and is fully funded by the Province of Ontario.

The NBMCA is committed to working with the municipalities, various stakeholders and the general public to ensure that the Source Protection Plan is relevant at the local level and that our drinking water sources are protected now and for future generations.

Working Together to Protect Our Water

Everyone should be able to trust that the water they drink is safe. Protecting the sources of our drinking water - lakes, rivers or underground aquifers - is the first step in ensuring safe drinking water.

The Clean Water Act has been passed by the Ontario legislature to assist communities with protecting their municipal drinking water supplies at the source. Through source protection planning, communities will identify potential risks to local water quality and water supply, and will create a plan to reduce or eliminate these risks. The task of developing a plan will involve watershed residents working with municipalities, conservation authorities, property owners, farmers, industry, health officials, community groups, and others.