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We all rely on safe, sustainable drinking water. Under the Clean Water Act, source protection plans across Ontario contain policies to protect local sources of municipal drinking water. For a property located in a source protection area and close to a municipal well or surface water intake, there may be policies in place that manage or prohibit certain activities.
Make sure your buyer knows how these policies may impact future plans for a property. Follow these tips:
Look it up
Search for the property using the Source Protection Information Atlas from the Government of Ontario. This will show if it is located in a vulnerable area – that is, close to a source of municipal drinking water, and what (if any) policies may apply.
Get familiar
Your local Source Protection Authority can answer your questions or direct you to resources you can use with your clients to determine which source protection plan policies (if any) apply to their locations.
Inform your client
If the property is in a vulnerable area, then there may be policies in place that manage or prohibit activities on the property that pose a risk to sources of drinking water. These policies are in place to ensure that our sources of municipal drinking water remain protected.
Provide direction
Clients who are proposing any new use, business or construction for the property should check in with their local municipality. You can also guide them to the resources provided below to help them in their research, or with any specific questions they may have.
Access resources
- For more information, including links to local contacts, resources and local source protection plans visit protectingwatermatters.ca
- Learn more about drinking water source protection at the Government of Ontario website: ontario.ca/page/source-protection
- Information on septic systems and private wells is available at ontario.ca
Note: the information found in this article should not be considered legal advice.