City council got a look on Monday at some information that could be in an assessment report on the Otonabee- Peterborough source water protection area when it’s finished in May.

A parcel of land with a septic system, a parcel of land where road salt is used and the storage of agricultural material on another property are a few of the potential threats to the city’s source water intake area, Otonabee Region Conservation Authority environmental services manager Meredith Carter said.

“Many of those are easily dealt with. We’re not looking at industrial waste or toxins,” she said.
Carter gave a presentation to council at the planning committee meeting to update it on source water protection activities. An assessment report on potential stresses and risks is projected to be done by late May and the creation of a source water protection plan with policies and regulations would be done in 2011-12.

Carter told council that Peterborough is the second largest city in Ontario to have its source water come entirely from a surface water system. Peterborough gets its water from the Otonabee River.

Council received the report for information.

Coun. Bob Hall warned council about taking responsibility for the source water protection process, as mandated by the province.

“The Clean Water Act basically came out of the tragedy of Walkerton, however the rules and regulations will be downloaded … and borne by the property tax owner,” he said. “This will be extremely expensive. It will have a major impact on operating budgets in all municipalities.”