Section 27(3) and (4) of O. Reg. 287/07 (under the Clean Water Act, 2006) requires municipalities to provide notice to the Source Protection Authority when pathways are created or modified. The Municipality should review new earth energy systems within Wellhead Protections Areas (WHPAs) to ensure they do not endanger the municipal drinking water system.

It is recommended that the Municipality:

prohibit the installation of all types of earth energy systems in WHPA-A;
require* a qualified hydrogeologist to oversee the design and installation of new earth energy projects (with the exception of horizontal closed loop systems) in WHPA-B to ensure that the construction of the system meets the requirements of the Ontario Building Code and does not result in groundwater contamination. For a residential system, the hydrogeologist should assess the potential of encountering problems (such as multiple aquifers, cross-connection of aquifers and differing water quality) and make recommendations to mitigate them, including alterations to the design of the system; and
keep relevant records for new earth energy systems within WHPAs,

*The Canadian Standards Association requires that a commercial/institutional system be designed and inspected by a professional engineer and require that a hydrogeologist undertake a site survey.

N/A.