The Government of Ontario announced its approval of the North Bay-Mattawa Source Protection Plan on March 5. The plan, which was developed by local municipal and community partners on the North Bay-Mattawa source protection committee, aims to strengthen local source-to-tap drinking water protection. It will take effect July 1, 2015.
Source protection plans have been approved across the province of late and are designed to protect the quality of community drinking water sources.
“This is an important day for the communities in our region for the protection of drinking water,” said Jeff Celentano, chair of the North Bay-Mattawa Region source protection committee. “The North Bay-Mattawa Plan is the culmination of scientific analysis, community consultation, and extensive work by the committee, the policy working group, and staff.”
Actions set out under the new plan include: establishing maintenance and inspection programs for septic systems to meet Building Code requirements; providing information to residents on the proper management of various significant risks such as the storage and handling of manure, commercial fertilizer and fuel, and livestock grazing and pasturing; and producing and placing road signs to identify drinking water protection zones.
