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Water is critical to all aspects of our lives and it is important that we ensure there is a safe and reliable source of water for all our uses - now and in the future.
Our drinking water comes from lakes, rivers, streams or underground sources (aquifers) located across the province. All of these sources of water are linked in a watershed through the water cycle. Drinking water sources can be easily contaminated and have a limited tolerance for stress. Long terms problems can develop that are costly or even impossible to correct. In order to make sure we have enough clean water for drinking and other uses, we need to protect our drinking water sources by managing our influences on them.
"I Am The Source"
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The Clean Water Act, 2006 was introduced by Environment Minister Laurel Broten for its first reading into the Ontario legislature December 5, 2005, received Royal Assent on October 19, 2006 and was proclaimed on July 3, 2006. The Clean Water Act, 2006 and Phase I regulations are the first steps in directly addressing 12 and supporting the implementation of 22 recommendations of the Walkerton Inquiry on protecting drinking water at its source. Drinking Water Source Protection will provide information to assist municipal and provincial governments, conservation authorityies and other agencies in making future decisions about how bes to protect the quality and quantity of our water resources.
Your probably asking yourself, "What does this mean to me, how can I make a difference"? The sole responsibility for protecting our sources of clean drinking water is not just in the hands of the province and municipalities. Each one of us can, and do play a role either by contributing to the problem or becoming part of the solution.
Additional Resources:
For information on Drinking Water Source Protection for the Sault Ste. Marie Source Protection Area, please contact:
Rhonda Bateman, Source Protection Planning Coordinator
You may also wish to visit the Conservation Ontario website for additional publications and information.
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