Significant drinking water threats are activities (or conditions caused from past activities) that have the potential to pose a risk to the quality of water that is, or may be used, as a source of drinking water. For more on Significant Drinking Water Threats click here.

Vulnerable areas are mapped locations where drinking water sources are believed to be most at risk. Under the Clean Water Act, the Trent Conservation Coalition Source Protection Region has identified two types of vulnerable areas:

1. Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPAs)
2. Surface Water Intake Protection Zones (IPZs)

The Risk Management Official/Inspector is responsible for administering and enforcing certain policies set out in the source protection plan. This includes:

• Reviewing development applications within vulnerable areas to ensure compliance with SPP policies and protect municipal drinking water sources
• Negotiating and enforcing risk management plans to manage significant drinking water threats
• Enforcing prohibition policies within vulnerable areas

A Risk Management Plan is a strategy to regulate how a significant drinking water threat activity is undertaken on a specific property. It outlines what actions are required to control how the significant drinking water threat activity is carried out so the risk to the municipal drinking water source is reduced or eliminated. Risk Management Plans are site specific documents that are negotiated and agreed upon by both the Risk Management Official and the person engaged in the activity. The plan allows the activity to continue on a specific parcel of land as long as the mitigation measures in the plan are followed. The intent is that the plan be voluntarily negotiated so there is opportunity for discussion and flexibility as well as accounting for best management practices that are already in place for the activity.

Within vulnerable areas for municipal drinking water systems, a Section 59 Notice (S.59) from the Risk Management Official (RMO) is required before the municipality processes an application for a development proposed under the Planning Act, Condominium Act or the Ontario Building Code. Notice from the RMO will identify if the activities related to the proposed development are prohibited under Section 57, whether a Risk Management Plan is required under Section 58, or that no Risk Management Plan is required.

A person may appeal an Order issued by the Risk Management Official/Inspector with regards to establishing or complying with a Risk Management Plan. Under the Clean Water Act, the landowner has 60 days to appeal the Order and request a hearing before the Environmental Review Tribunal. The Tribunal can confirm, alter or revoke the decision made by the Risk Management Official.