SarahMinnes,PhDCandidate,MemorialUniversityofNewfoundland

InternationalForumonIntegratedWaterManagement

Wednesday,November2,2016

WhyProtectDrinkingWaterattheSource?

� “Crisiswithwaterisinfactamanagementproblem,ratherthanascarcityproblem”(OECD,2011)

� AlackofSWPcanposebothhumanandenvironmentalrisks

EconomicImportance

• Walkertonwasestimatedascostingover$64.5million(notincludingtheunquantifiablecostofhumanlife)• Lessensfiltrationandtreatmentcosts

• Ratioofbenefitsofavoidingcontaminationtothecostsofsourceprotectionprogramsrangesfrom5:1to200:1(USEPA)

CleanWaterAct,2006

RelatedProvincialandMunicipalLegislation

• MunicipalOfficialPlansandByLaws• PlanningAct• ProvincialPolicyStatement• OakRidgesMoraineConservationAct• TheNiagaraEscarpmentPlan• GreenbeltAct• PlacestoGrowAct• NutrientManagementAct• BuildingCodeAct

OtherWaterRelatedOntarioLegislaDon

�  MinistryoftheEnvironmentandClimateChange

�  WaterOpportunitiesandWaterConservationAct

�  EnvironmentalProtectionAct

�  OntarioWaterResourcesAct

�  SafeDrinkingWaterAct

�  EnvironmentalAssessmentAct

�  EnvironmentalBillofRights

�  MinistryofEnvironment&MinistryofAgriculture&Food

�  NutrientManagementAct

�  MinistryofNaturalResources

�  LakesandRiversImprovementAct

�  PublicLandsAct

(NorthBay-MattawaConservation

Authority,n.d)

1/3agricultural

1/3municipal

MinistryoftheEnvironmentandClimateChange

SourceProtectionAuthority

Communication

Learning

GovernanceUndertheCWA

SourceProtectionCommittee

Municipalities

Decisions

Implementation (MOE,2007)

1/3communitygroups

FirstNations

WellheadProtecDonArea

(CataraquiRegionConservationAuthority;CataraquiSourceProtectionCommittee,2011)

IntakeProtecDonZones

(CataraquiRegionConservationAuthority;CataraquiSourceProtectionCommittee,2011)

ResearchQuesDons� WhathavebeenthesuccessesandchallengeswithsourcewaterprotectionplanningandimplementationofsourceprotectionplansinON?

� DidthesourcewaterprotectionplanningprocessinONbuildcapacityforwaterandwatershedgovernance,particularlyinruralareas?

� WhatwouldbethepotentialbenefitsandchallengesforruralregionsinotherprovincesinCanadaiftheyweretoadoptasimilarplanningandimplementationprocess?

Methodology

TheoreDcalUnderpinningsGovernance •  Legislatedprocess/

organizedstructure •  Integration •  Rightactorsatthetable •  Sharedownershipand

accountability •  Knowledgesharingand

learning •  Publicparticipation

•  Trustbuildingandtransparency

•  Fairness •  Adequateresourcesand

capacity •  Commonbenefitevident •  Evaluation,adaptability,and

flexibility

Capacity •  Institutional •  Financial

•  Social •  Technical/human

SWPBestPractices

•  Scope •  Integration •  Improvementofwater

quality

•  Decreasedcontaminationrisks

•  Waterquantitysafeguarded

PolicyTransfer

•  Policycontext •  Policyproblem

•  Policybeingtransferred

PreliminaryFindings� Greatforbaselineinformationgatheringanddatasharing

� Greatforcommunication� Legislationprovidesneededteeth� ConservationAuthoritiesthe“honestbrokers”

PlanningfortheFuture�  Annualreportingimportantfunction�  Keepingscienceupdatedisimperative�  Emergingissuesnotunderprescribeddrinkingwaterthreatslist(e.g.pharmaceuticals)

�  Sourcewaterprotectionversuswatershedmanagement�  Uncertaintyofimplementationfundinghasmunicipalities“handcuffed”

Rural?� Currentprocessexcludesmandatory(canoptin)protectionfor:�  Privatewells�  FirstNationcommunities

� Nomandatoryprotectionbutitwill“ruboff”

TroutCreekGroundwaterStudyPilot

�  UnservicedvillagepartoftheMunicipalityofPowassanwithclustersofindividualwells

�  Hydrogeologicalstudies(travelassessments)undertakentoidentifyWHPA’s

�  Anysepticsystemwithin100mofanywellinTroutCreekwasautomaticallyidentifiedasasignificantriskbasedonMOECCtechnicalcriteria

�  Seriousconcernregardingimpactsonhousere-sale,withdrewfromtheplan

(NorthBay-MattawaConservationAuthority,2013)

“Hastobeeverybodyornobody”

PolicyTransferforRuralOntario�  ShouldtheCWAexpandintounservicedruralareas?�  HowcoulddrinkingwatersourceprotectionplansbepreparedforunservicedruralareasinOntario?�  Justsettlementsareas(i.e..villages,hamlets,towns)?

�  Considerations:

�  Extentandreliabilityofprivatewatertreatmentisvariable�  Impactonhousingprices�  Continuedfundingforimplementationmeasures�  Etc…….

� Completionoffieldinterviews�  Analysis

� Paper1-ONfindings� Phase2ofresearch-TBA� Paper2-TransferabilityofCWAforruralareas� Paper3-FinalfindingsonONSWPforruralregionsinCanada

�  Finaldissertation/defense

NextSteps

ReferencesCataraquiRegionConservationAuthority,andCataraquiSourceProtectionCommittee.2011.AssessmentReportSummary.Glenburnie,ON.http://www.cleanwatercataraqui.ca/PDFs/Studies-and-Reports/Assessment-Report/AssessmentReportSummary_English.pdf.Dawe,P.(n.d.).PreventingEmergenciesthroughWatershedProtection:http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/waterres/training/adww/emergencyplanning/09_gander_2007_watershed_management_paula_dawe.pdfdeLoë,R.&Murray,D.(2013).Contextualconsiderationsshapingthetransferabilityofpoliciesfordrinkingwatersourceprotection.InC.deBoer,J.Vinke-deKruijf,GdeLoë,R.C.,&Kreutzwiser,R.D.(2005).Closingthegroundwaterprotectionimplementationgap.Geoforum,36(2),241-256.MinistryofEnvironment(MOE).(2007).RolesandResponsibilitiesfortheCleanWaterAct,2006.Queen’sPrinter:Ontario,Canada.RetrievedJune2,2012,fromhttp://www.cataraquiregion.on.ca/management/pop_up/cwact_rolesandresponsibilities.pdfNorthBay-MattawaConservationAuthority.(2013).TroutCreekremovedfromdrinkingwatersourceprotectionprogram.RetrievedOct31,2016fromhttp://www.nbmca.on.ca/news.asp?id=158NorthBay-MattawaConservationAuthority.(n.d.).SummaryofOntario'swaterrelatedlegislationDrinkingwatersourceprotection.RetrievedNovember1,2016fromhttp://actforcleanwater.ca/index.php?page=summary-of-ontario-s-water-related-legislationOECD.(2011).WaterGovernanceinOECDCountries:AMulti-levelApproach.RetrievedFebruary9,2011,fromhttp://www.oecd.org/gov/regionaldevelopment/48885867.pdf