Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Program (ODWSP)
The government established a drinking water stewardship program in the Clean Water Act to help landowners and small businesses take action to reduce threats to local drinking water sources. From spring 2008 to spring 2011, $21 million is being made available for early action to protect drinking water sources.
Who Is Eligible for Funding under the ODWSP?
Under the ODWSP, funding will be available to assist landowners who take early actions that protect municipal drinking water sources within four key areas:
- 100-metre radius zone of a municipal wellhead
- 200-metre radius of a municipal surface water intake.
- 2-Year time of travel around a municipal well, that has been accepted by local municipalities through council resolution.
- IPZ-1(intake protection zone one) around a municipal surface water intake, that has been accepted by local municipalities through council resolution.
What Activities are Funded under the ODWSP?
ODWSP funding will support four key programs until the spring of 2011:
1) Well Decommissioning and Upgrading
Decommissioning abandoned wells, including the testing, monitoring and technical work on water wells, and upgrading drinking water wells, may prevent these wells and poorly maintained wellheads from becoming pollutant pathways to municipal drinking water sources. Funding will be available to all landowners (residential, business, institutional and farm) whose properties are located within or extend into the 100-metre radius of a municipal wellhead or a 200 metre radius of a municipal surface water intake,the 2-year time of travel around a municpal well, or the intake protection zone one around a municipal surface water intake as accepted through a municipal council resolution.
2) Septic System Inspections and Upgrades
The septic program will provide funding for the repair, upgrade, or replacement of faulty or malfunctioning septic systems that are located within or extend into the 100 metre radius of a municipal wellhead, the 200 metre radius of a municipal surface water intake, the 2-year time of travel around a municpal well, or the intake protection zone one around a municipal surface water intake as accepted through a municipal council resolution.
3) Runoff and Erosion Protection and Additional Best Management Practices
The purpose of the overland runoff protection program is to protect municipal drinking water sources from runoff contamination and soil erosion through properly restoring buffer strips and riparian zones. The additional best managemenrt practices are agri-related activities that will also protect municipal drinking water sources through the implementation of manure management practices and in barn improvements. Funding will be available to landowners that are located within or extend into the 100 metre radius of a municipal wellhead or a 200 metre radius of a municipal surface water intake, the 2-year time of travel around a municpal well, or the intake protection zone one around a municipal surface water intake as accepted through a municipal council resolution.
4) Pollution Prevention Reviews
Pollution prevention audits will be made available to small and medium-sized businesses (500 employess or less) that are located within or extend into the 100 metre radius of a municipal wellhead or a 200 metre radius of a municipal surface water intake, the 2-year time of travel around a municpal well, or the intake protection zone one around a municipal surface water intake as accepted through a municipal council resolution. These audits will be available to businesses that manufacture, handle, store, and dispose of materials into water, land, or air, and will identify threats to sources of municipal drinking water.
For More Information
The program is being administered by the five Conservation Authorities in the Trent Conservation Coalition Source Protection Region: Crowe Valley Conservation Authority, Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority, Kawartha Conservation, Lower Trent Conservation, and Otonabee Conservation.
Contact your local Conservation Authority to learn more about grant rates and project eligibility;
Crowe Valley Conservation Authority
Email: Vicki Woolfrey , Source Water Protection Information Technician
Phone: 613- 472-3137
Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority
Email: Pam Lancaster, Stewardship Technician
Phone: 905-885-8173 ext. 247
Kawartha Conservation
Email: Shalin Abbott, Stewardship Coordinator
Phone: 705-328-2271 ext. 223
Lower Trent Conservation
Email: Caroline Zawadzka, Landowner Contact Specialist
Phone: 613-394-3915 ext. 225
Otonabee Conservation
Email: Meredith Carter, Manager, Environmental Services
Phone: 705-745-5791 ext. 223