Water Use in the Halton-Hamilton Source Protection Region
Throughout history, people have settled where there is an available and sustainable supply of clean water. This continues today, with limits placed on the growth of an area dependent on finding additional water resources. Municipal water supplies are used for many purposes including industrial, commercial, institutional and recreational activities, and for fire protection. Outside the municipal urban areas, private water supplies consist of wells, surface water systems, and cisterns. Private well systems and the natural environment use the same sources of water that, under the current program, the government seeks to protect for municipal supply. In this way, maintaining a sustainable supply of clean water within the aquifers of Halton-Hamilton Source Protection Region and in Lake Ontario will benefit all residents and business operators.
The Halton Region Source Protection Area municipal drinking water systems comprise one combined Lake Ontario and well-based system and three well-based systems. One system owned and operated by the Regional Municipality of Halton draws water from Lake Ontario to supply water to the urban areas of Oakville, Burlington, and about 60 percent of the urban area of Milton, and is connected to the groundwater wells that provide water to the remaining 40 percent of Milton. Municipal groundwater systems that pump water from wells supply water to portions of Carlisle, Freelton, and Campbellville. The Carlisle and Freelton systems are owned and operated by the City of Hamilton, while the Campbellville system is owned and operated by the Regional Municipality of Halton.
In the Hamilton Region Source Protection Area, municipal drinking water systems comprise one Lake Ontario and one well-based system owned and operated by the City of Hamilton. The Woodward municipal system that draws water from Lake Ontario supplies water to the urban areas of Hamilton, including Dundas, Ancaster, and Waterdown. This system also supplies areas of Halton Region and parts of the communities of Caledonia, Cayuga, and York in Haldimand County, which are all located outside of the Source Protection Area. The municipal groundwater system that pumps from a well supplies water to a portion of the settlement of Greensville.
A map showing the locations of the municipal wells and intakes is available by clicking here.
Fact sheets on each municipal system are available by clicking on the name below:
