Water Quality Committee Report Spring 2008

Proposed water quality testing program

After meeting by email over the winter, the GLPOA water quality committee got together on April 9 at the Sands on Golden Lake. Committee members agreed to work with the Lakes Partnership program managed by the Ontario Ministry of Environment to test levels of phosphorous in the Lake. Phosphorous levels are a good indication of the impact that shoreline development may have on water quality, according to the Ministry.

Bev Clark of the Lake Partnership program said that the Kingston Office of the Ministry of Environment acted as a lake partner for Golden Lake in 2003-2004 as part of the assessment of Renfrew County lakes. Phosphorous levels were found to be well below the upper limit of acceptability at that time. The Water Quality Committee is examining the Water Quality Management Report, which reports on Golden Lake water chemistry.

The report emphasized the importance of public education in preserving water quality in Ontario lakes: "Land owners are in the best position to implement best management practices, such as ensuring they have a properly functioning septic systems, provision of adequate setbacks in accordance with the official plan and zoning bylaw requirements, maintenance of vegetation and tree cover in setback buffer and the elimination of pesticide and fertilizer applications near lakes." The committee continues to discuss the ways it can help to inform GLPOA members on steps they can take to maintain and enhance water quality in the Lake and River.

GLPOA members attend FOCA seminar in Toronto

Two members of the Water Quality Committee, Gail McPhee and Chair Kathy Lampi, attended a day-long seminar in Toronto April 5 dealing with the importance of plans for lake development and impending legislation about mandatory septic tank re-inspections.

The Federation of Ontario Cottagers’Associations has received funding from Trillium to design a template for members who want to create lake plans for a specific area. The template, which will be available the summer of 2009, was the topic of the morning workshop. It can be used as a tool to help rate payers and municipalities design development plans for lake areas. FOCA presenters emphasized the importance of developing a plan as a proactive involvement in the community, rather than waiting for the proposal of some undesired development to trigger opposition. This template will make the development of lake plans, without using highly-paid consultants, much easier, according to FOCA.

The afternoon workshop focused on Ontario’s Clear Water Act, and implications for rural areas. The Clear Water Act was passed October 2006 as a response to the Walkerton Report. It is a recognition of the need to protect drinking water at the source, not just the tap. Source protection will be based on watershed boundaries; local source protection committees will be created. First steps involve mandatory regular re-inspection of those septic systems located close to sources of municipal water. A septic tank inspector from Mississippi Valley Conservation, Jamie Saunders emphasized that proper use and maintenance of a septic tank is more important than its age in assuring effectiveness of the system. Mr. Saunders said that mandatory inspections for general private systems will likely not come into effect until 2012, at the earliest.

Information about ground water protection can be found at www.thewaterhole.ca and at www.wellwise.ca.