Source Water Protection
The City of Richmond Hill’s drinking water comes from two main sources: Lake Ontario and groundwater wells. Protecting these water sources from contamination is essential to ensure a clean, safe, and reliable water supply for the community.
Everyone, including developers, businesses, residents, and municipal planners, has a role in maintaining water quality and quantity. By understanding the potential threats and regulatory requirements, interested parties can help safeguard Richmond Hill’s drinking water sources for future generations.
What is Source Water Protection?
The Clean Water Act, 2006, was created to ensure the protection of present and future sources of drinking water by:
- Identifying vulnerable areas and potential threats to drinking water
- Implementing Source Water Protection Plans and policies to maintain both the quantity and quality of drinking water
In Richmond Hill, the Central Lake Ontario, Toronto Region, and Credit Valley Source Protection Plant (CTC SPP), has been guiding these efforts since December 31, 2015.
What activities threaten drinking water sources?
- Municipal: winter maintenance and road salt, waste, sewage, and stormwater
- Agricultural: biosolids, manure, commercial fertilizer, pesticides, livestock grazing
- Commercial: fuel, organic solvents, dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs)
- Residential: septic systems, private wells, and fuel storage
- Water taking: activities that take large quantities of water from the ground
How does this impact your development?
Source Water Protection primarily impacts those who live, own property, or operate a business in areas near municipal drinking water sources. If you live or work in a vulnerable area, your actions can directly impact water quality.
What is the City of Richmond Hill doing?
The City of Richmond Hill is required to screen all development applications including:
- Official Plan Amendments (advisory)
- Zoning By-Law Amendments (advisory)
- Plans of Subdivision
- Plans of Condominium
- Site Plan Applications (including simple processes)
- Building Permits
What areas in Richmond Hill are vulnerable?
- Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA) D - Aurora and Newmarket
- Highly Vulnerable Aquifers (HVA)
- Wellhead Protection Areas Quantity WHPA-Q / Recharge Management Areas (WHPA-Q/RMA)
- Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas (SGRA)
How can you screen your property for source protection threats?
Use the York Region Source Water Protection Maps to find if your property is located within one of Richmond Hill’s four drinking water threats and vulnerable areas.
| Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA) D - Aurora and Newmarket |
| A Source Water Impact Assessment and Mitigation Plan (SWIAMP) may be required by York Region for development planning and building permit applications involving the handling, storage, or application of substances including road salts, pesticides, fertilizers, dense non-aqueous phase liquids, and organic solvents that may contaminate drinking water could trigger these planning requirements.
If a SWIAMP is not required, a letter prepared by a qualified professional (Professional Engineer/Professional Geoscientist) will be required in its place stating that the above noted activities will not be occurring. Lands within WHPA-D in Richmond Hill are within the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation (ORM) Plan Settlement Area, therefore ORM policies apply. Resources:
For information on technical requirements, contact a York Region Risk Management Official or Risk Management Inspector. |
| Highly Vulnerable Aquifers (HVA) |
| A Contaminant Management Plan (CMP) may be required by York Region for all industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) development planning and building permit applications dealing with handling/storage of road salt, bulk fuels, and/or chemical handling/storage. The CMP should demonstrate how the development would be implemented to help prevent the contamination of the HVA.
If a CMP is not required, a letter prepared by a qualified professional such as Professional Engineer/Geoscientist will be required in its place stating that the above noted activities will not be occurring. Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan policies may also apply. Resources: For information on technical requirements, contact a York Region Risk Management Official or Risk Management Inspector. |
| Wellhead Protection Areas Quantity (WHPA-Q) / Recharge Management Areas (RMA) |
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A Water Balance Assessment may be required for development within WHPA-Q threat area. The purpose of a Water Balance Assessment is to ensure that land development activities maintain pre-development groundwater recharge levels or, where appropriate, demonstrate best efforts to do so. To achieve these targets, the use of Low Impact Development measures is strongly encouraged. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) Water Resources Engineering group reviews Water Balance Assessments for technical requirements on behalf of the City. If a development is proposed to be located within the wellhead, a private servicing form may also be requested. Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan policies may also apply. Resources:
For information on technical requirements, please email Don Ford, Senior Manager, Hydrogeology Engineering Services at TRCA or call 416.661.6600 ext. 5369. |
| Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas (SGRA) |
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A Water Balance Assessment may be required for development within Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas (SGRA) threat area. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) Water Resources Engineering group reviews Water Balance Assessments for technical requirements on behalf of the City. The purpose of a Water Balance Assessment is to ensure that land development activities maintain pre-development groundwater recharge levels or, where appropriate, demonstrate best efforts to do so. To achieve these targets, the use of Low Impact Development measures is strongly encouraged. Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan policies may also apply. Resources:
For information on technical requirements, please email Don Ford, Senior Manager, Hydrogeology Engineering Services at TRCA or call 416.661.6600 ext. 5369. |
Contact(s)
City of Richmond Hill
225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill, Ontario
L4B 3P4
Tel: 905-771-8800
Fax: 905-771-5515
Email Access Richmond Hill
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