The Regional Municipality of York has released its 2016 Source Water Implementation Annual Report, which summarizes the work York Region is doing to identify and manage potential impacts to drinking water and pinpoint vulnerable areas where proposed development requires careful planning to ensure the safety of our drinking water supply.
“York Region continues to be a leader in protecting our sources of drinking water,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson. “We work with municipal partners and businesses to put plans in place to manage risks and create incentive programs to encourage everyone to take action in protecting drinking water sources.”
York Region’s incentive program has encouraged businesses to make changes that protect municipal drinking water sources. The Region worked with a local dry cleaner to switch its equipment to a new environmentally friendly alternative, both the Region and the owner contributed funds to the project knowing the benefits that planned changes would make to the environment.
Among its achievements in 2016, York Region provided more than $46,000 to businesses to implement required risk management measures as part of its incentive programs, inspected more than half the sites with risk management plans in place and received international recognition for its Source Protection program by the American Water Works Association.
“Our collective effort to support safe drinking water sources has never been stronger,” said City of Vaughan Regional Councillor Mario Ferri, Chair of Environmental Services. “York Region is also sharing the importance of protecting our water sources through an awareness campaign which allows residents to understand how their water is kept safe and clean.”
Source protection is one component of the multi-barrier approach to ensure clean and safe drinking water. The program also includes operator training, water treatment, extensive monitoring and testing, as well as emergency preparedness.
Under the Clean Water Act, 2006, municipalities are required to submit annual reports on their implementation efforts. This is York Region’s fifth annual report, which summarizes information requested by the Source Protection Authorities. The Region follows a three-pronged model to direct its source and drinking water protection: Identify. Plan. Educate.
The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine cities and towns, and provides a variety of programs and services to almost 1.2 million residents, 50,000 businesses and 580,000 employees. Read the 2016 Source Water Implementation Annual Report. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/regionalservices
