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Grand River Source Protection Plan Approved

The final source protection plan aimed at protecting the drinking water in Oxford County has been approved.

Another source protection plan has been approved for Oxford County.

Manager of Water Services Deborah Goudreau says the Grand River Source Protection Plan is part of a strategy to protect our municipal drinking water sources. "There's about 19 of these across the province that have been developed - so in Oxford County we actually have 4 plans that apply to us. So all of our conservation authorities have an associated plan with it. And this the last and final plan in Oxford County, and actually in the province, to be approved."

Goudreau tells us this is part of the Clean Water Act that came about after the Walkerton Inquiry. "It was one of the steps that Justice O'Connor recommended as a multi-barrier approach to make sure our drinking water is safe to consume. So this is the first level of protection to make sure the water is protected at its source and it prevents contaminants from getting in to the water in the first place."

There are 21 threats to our municipal drinking water sources outlined under the plan, and Goudreau says they will be taking steps to help reduce the risk from any of these threats. "It requires us to identify where those activities are occurring. And if it's in one of these protected areas then we have to work with the land owners to make sure they have appropriate measures in place so there is no significant risk of contaminating the drinking water." Some of the 'threats' include chemicals, manure, and landfill sites.

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