Policy Text:
To ensure that any Consumptive Water Taking never becomes a significant drinking water threat, where this activity would be a significant drinking water threat as prescribed by the CWA, the MNRF, in consultation with the MECP, County, Municipalities, conservation authorities and licensees, shall consider when issuing new ARA licenses, and amendments to existing sites proposing to lower the depth of extraction from above to below the water table, the results and recommendations of the Tier 3 Study, water supply requirements for planned growth and prolonged drought outlined in Water Supply Master Plans and available data, reports and/or recommendations from monitoring programs established pursuant to policies in the County of Wellington Chapter of the Grand River Source Protection Plan, as part of the process under the ARA for approval of ARA licences, licence conditions and site plans based on the technical reports and information required under the ARA. To achieve this and ensure that the quantity of Municipal Water Supply will not be adversely impacted, MNRF shall consider establishing approval conditions in ARA licenses and site plans including but not limited to:
a. operational controls;
b. measures that ensure that any below water extraction is protective of municipal drinking water supplies, including measures that restrict and/or
limit extraction activities below the water table; and
c. groundwater and surface water monitoring related to municipal drinking water supplies.