The Halton Region Source Protection Area lies on the north shore at the western end of Lake Ontario. It includes an area of approximately 970 square kilometres, stretching from the City of Mississauga in the east to the City of Hamilton in the west, and north to the Township of Puslinch and the Town of Halton Hills. In addition, because it juts 50 kilometres into Lake Ontario to the international border, the Area includes approximately 590 square kilometres of Great Lakes water.
Ten upper and lower tier municipalities have lands within the Source Protection Area; however, only the Regional Municipality of Halton (Halton Region) and the City of Hamilton (Hamilton) operate municipal water systems within the Source Protection Area. Portions of municipalities located within the Source Protection Area are supplied water from drinking water systems located in neighbouring areas. In total, these municipal water systems supply 94 percent of the population within the source protection area with reliable, clean drinking water. There are two sources of water that supply municipal systems – 88 percent from Lake Ontario and 6 percent from groundwater. Private systems, including wells and cisterns, provide water to the remaining 6 percent of the population.
The Halton Region Source Protection Area consists of three large watersheds and 19 small watersheds. The headwater areas of the three large watersheds – Grindstone Creek, Bronte Creek, and Sixteen Mile Creek – form the majority of the surface water divide between this and neighbouring source protection areas. The 19 small watersheds are located along the north shores of Lake Ontario, Hamilton Harbour, and Cootes Paradise.
Halton Region Source Protection Area Municipalities and Drinking Water Sources
Upper Tier Municipality | Lower Tier Municipality | Area Within Halton Source Protection Area [km2] | Population in Source Protection Area1 | Percentage of Population in Source Protection Area on Municipal Water Supply2 |
---|---|---|---|---|
County of Wellington | Township of Puslinch | 30 | 854 | 0 |
Regional Municipality of Halton | Town of Halton Hills | 132 | 10,152 | 64 |
Regional Municipality of Halton | Town of Milton | 311 | 83,082 | 83 |
Regional Municipality of Halton | Town of Oakville | 133 | 177,262 | 99 |
Regional Municipality of Halton | City of Burlington | 187 | 175,755 | 97 |
Region of Peel | City of Mississauga | 11 | 42,733 | 99 |
City of Hamilton | 166 | 20,269 | 60 |
Notes:
- Populations are based on Statistics Canada Population Census 2011..
- The municipal water systems supplying the populations of the City of Mississauga and portions of the cities of Hamilton and Burlington and the Town of Halton Hills are not located within the Source Protection Area.