Township of North Stormont

Reports

Municipal Well Head Protection Program

For

Township of North Stormont
Village of Finch
Municipal Groundwater Supply Wells

As a result of the water supply tragedy of Walkerton, Ontario and at the request of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, the Township of North Stormont is investigating the reliability and future source protection of the municipal water supply for the village of Finch, Ontario.

Study Site

The Village of Finch is located within the Township of North Stormont in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, in southeastern Ontario. The village of Finch municipal well site is located on the northwestern edge of the village at 20 William St., just north of John St. The municipal wells and treatment system are contained in the same building. The facility is operated by the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA).

Site Description

The Village of Finch municipal well site is bordered by low density residential and commercial land to the south and east beyond the community arena, farmland to the west, and a sandblasting operation to the northwest (previously a small foam insulation industry). A welding shop with fuel storage is located just north of the well site.

The village of Finch is situated on unconsolidated deposits consisting primarily of a till plain with minor sand and gravel overlying the limestone bedrock of the Verulam formation. The till is periodically overlain by discontinuous deposits of silty clay. Bedrock can be found to outcrop to the east of the village along the Payne River (Robinson Consultants Ltd. et al.).

Groundwater Source Protection Action Plan

The Township of North Stormont contacted Water and Earth Science Associates Ltd. (WESA) of Carp, Ontario to complete the Well Head Protection Plan recommended by the Ministry of Environment's Drinking Water Inspection Report dated June 2003. The report proposed the evaluation of potential sources of pollutants that could negatively impact the source as well as delineation and protection of the recharge area of the wells.

WHPP Objective

The objective of a groundwater source protection plan is to identify areas of greatest concern with respect to safe guarding the quality of a groundwater resource. The goal is to ensure a balance between the benefits of groundwater protection and potential impacts on economic and community development. Generally, more stringent controls are required close to the municipal well field, as well as in areas of greater sensitivity.

WHPP Components

1. Delineation of Wellhead Protection Areas - Well Capture Zones
2. Development of a Land Use Risk Rating Map (Using the Well Capture Zones)
3. Provide direction for appropriate wellhead and aquifer protection strategies
4. Development of an Aquifer Monitoring Program.

Delineation of the Groundwater Capture Areas and Determination of the Groundwater Intrinsic Susceptibility

The groundwater capture zone is essentially the footprint encompassing the area from which groundwater flows toward the groundwater production well, in this case the municipal well field.

A groundwater study was undertaken by Eastern Ontario Water Resources Committee (EOWRC) in 2001-2002 to define the Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPA) for the municipal well field of the town of Finch. The numerical model MODFLOW was used to estimate groundwater capture zones.

The data used to generate the potentiometric surface originated from MOE Well Records. This source of groundwater data provides an approximation on a regional scale, and is by no means accurate at any specific location. The model geometry (stratigraphy) is also derived from the MOE Well Records. A greater accuracy will be attained in areas where there is a greater density of MOE Well Records.

Groundwater Task Force

A recommendation of the WHPP document was the establishment of a groundwater task force to implement the well head protection strategy proposed to protect the municipal water supply. The task force consists of members representing the following organizations;

• Township of North Stormont Municipal Council;
• Ontario Clean Water Agency;
• South Nation Conservation Authority;
• Township of North Stormont agricultural community, and;
• Township of North Stormont municipal staff.

A copy of the Well Head Protection Program for the village of Finch Municipal Wells is available for viewing at the municipal office in Berwick, Ontario, as well as at the local branch of the municipal library in the village of Finch, Ontario.

For Further Information:

Any questions concerning the Finch Municipal Well Site and the WHPP document can be directed to the Groundwater Task Force at:

Township of North Stormont
P.O. Box 99,
2 Victoria Street,
Berwick, ON,
K0C 1G0
Telephone:(613) 984-2821
Fax: (613) 984-2908
Email: kmcpherson@northstormont.ca