HHWSP Act for Clean Water Source Water Protection Issues Hamilton-Halton Watershed Stewardship Program (HHWSP) of Hamilton Conservation Authority and Conservation Halton Sheila O’Neal, Coordinator Greensville Community Subwatershed Study & Act for Clean Water Public Information Centre #1 Christ Church, 92 Highway #8 Flamborough, Ontario November 21, 2007

HHWSP Landowners Take Action for Clean Water Background: Pre Carolinian Canada – Protection - Ontario Ministry of the Environment’s Clean Up Rural Beaches – Restoration 1994 to Present – HHWSP – Protection and Restoration 1999 – Hamilton-Wentworth Stewardship Council (HWSC) - Survey 2003 to Present – City of Hamilton, HHWSP and other partners – Decommissioning Abandoned Water Wells Program

HHWSP Landowners Take Action for Clean Water Background: 2004 – City of Hamilton and HHWSP – Septic Awareness Survey and Open Houses 2005 – Survey results recommendation: Landowners should have their septic system treatment or holding tanks inspected every one or two years and pumped out every three to five years. This is especially applicable to the community of Greensville where the highest number of older treatment/holding tanks was reported.

HHWSP Landowners Take Action for Clean Water Background: 2005 – Survey results recommendations: Landowners should become familiar with signs of a failing septic system or leaching bed in order to identify when a treatment tank or leaching bed needs to be replaced. This is especially applicable in Greensville where the highest number of leaching beds between the ages of 25 and 50 was reported.

HHWSP Clean Water Act Clean Water Act is part of the Ontario government’s commitment to implement all of the recommendations of the Walkerton Inquiry. For the first time, communities will be required to create and carry out a plan to protect the sources of their municipal drinking water supplies. The source protection process includes identifying drinking water threats, assessing the risk of those threats, preventing threats, and monitoring remaining threats.

HHWSP Ministry of the Environment Funding for Education and Outreach City of Hamilton as lead partner with the HHWSP will be offering: Open houses in four municipal well areas and one in the intake protection zone Presentations on Septic System Management Septic Tanks Pumped - Raffle Informational brochures Providing Well Aware and Septic System Management DVDs to local libraries On-site visits to some landowners in 100 m radius zone

HHWSP Raffle Tonight Two landowners in the Flamborough area will win a free pump out of their septic tank from: Rankin’s Septic Tank Pumping and Environmental Services Winners will invite a neighbour or two to come and learn the importance of septic system maintenance – demonstration opportunity

HHWSP Ministry of the Environment Funding Coming Soon To landowners of properties: - within 100 m radius of a municipal well - within 200 m radius of a municipal surface water intake Examples of this funding are: Water Well Decommissioning and Upgrading – 50% up to $6,000 Septic System Inspections and Upgrades – 50% up to $10,000 and up to $20,000 for advanced systems Runoff and Erosion Protection – 50% up to $20,000

HHWSP City of Hamilton Funding Available Now For Landowners in the City of Hamilton to: - Decommission their Abandoned Water Wells - 100% of the cost up to $1,000 with a limit of 2 wells per property An abandoned well that is not properly filled, sealed and capped poses risks such as a safety hazards for children and animals and it provides a route for contaminants to enter groundwater reserves. Protect yourself, your family and neighbours by properly decommissioning your well.

HHWSP Now Introducing… Katherine Rentsch, P. Eng. Project Coordinator Ontario Rural Wastewater Centre