The main findings of the Centre Wellington Tier 3 Water Budget and Risk Assessment are:
- The Water Quantity Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA-Q) was assigned a significant risk level. Please note this document may not be accessible to people with disabilities. If you have a disability and require a document in an alternate format, please contact us.
- The future availability of water for the Township’s municipal supply could potentially be impacted by:
- future groundwater takings that consume water, and
- land use changes which limit the ability of water to soak into the ground (groundwater recharge).
- Additional study is needed for new water takers within the WHPA-Q to determine their potential impact on the Centre Wellington water supply.
- Water quantity policies under the Clean Water Act are developed for within the WHPA-Q.
Beyond the results of the study, additional insights into the Township’s water supply and demand were developed as the project progressed. These findings include the following:
- largest influence on future groundwater levels is from increased municipal pumping to meet population growth,
- combined effect of unserviced domestic water well pumping on water supply aquifer is minimal,
- effect of land development on future groundwater levels in the water supply aquifer is minimal,
- effect of livestock watering on the water supply aquifer is minimal,
- the effect of existing non-municipal water takings with a Permit To Take Water on the water supply aquifer was minimal, and
- increased or new large groundwater takings may affect groundwater levels at municipal wells depending on location and pumping rate.