The Water Quality Working Group

Background
Committee Membership
The Mandate
Outline of Initiatives
Future Considerations

Background

The Water Quality Working Group was created as an initiative of the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition during the period of time while it was delivering the Canada-Ontario Agriculture Green Plan Environmental Farm Plan Program.

Since the completion of the Green Plan, the WQWG has continued its activities under the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition.

From a groundwater perspective, Ontario is blessed with an abundant supply. However, it is important to recognize that groundwater is a shared resource upon which Ontario farmers rely heavily. Rural Ontario represents over 95 % of the groundwater recharge area, and therefore farmers must:

Be stewards of the resource
Manage, not mine this valuable resource

There are various potential sources of groundwater contamination which can be categorized as "Point" or "Diffuse" [Non-Point] sources.

Point
Waste containment facilities
Industrial manufacturing facilities
Buried fuel tanks
Graveyards
Septic fields / Manure storage facilities

Diffuse (Non-Point)
Application of agrichemicals
Road salting
Land farming
Golf courses
Urban land-use (e.g. parks and residential areas)

The Water Quality Working Group

EXECUTIVE
Chair, Gordon Coukell Vice-Chair, Paul Verkley Mike Goss, Univ. of Guelph Dave Rudolph, Univ. of Waterloo Coordinator, Tiffany Svensson
with support from OFA, CFFO , AGCare, OFAC OSCIA, Farm Women’s Network, TFIO AAFC, Env. Can., OMAFRA, MNR, OME, OMOH University of Guelph, Waterloo Centre for Groundwater Research (U. of Waterloo) (now Earth & Environmental Sciences)

The Mandate of the WQWG

To define the key water issues of Ontario’s farmers and to design, develop and test pilot projects to effectively address these concerns.
Furthermore to assist in developing policy on groundwater issues to ensure sustainable agriculture in Ontario.

Outline of Initiatives

Partnerships in Nitrogen Use Efficiency (PINUE)
Baseline Nitrogen Leaching Project
Water Taking Workshop “ Groundwater and Agriculture: Developing Proactive Solutions”
Livestock Manure Pollution Prevention Project (P3)
Baseline Water Well Testing Program - Managed by The Ontario Federation of Agriculture for the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition
View / Download Ontario Groundwater Quality Survey (1993) (796 KB pdf ) [1999-12-14]

See also: Ontario Farm Groundwater Quality Survey II (Summer 1992) (original survey)
(Environmental Sustainability Program)

As our environment changes, so can the quality of our drinking water. Early detection of a water quality problem can protect the health of your family and sustainability of your business. A BASELINE WATER WELL TEST will give the property owners a reliable and affordable benchmark, and provide insight on future changes to water quality.

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: WATER WELLS - GROUNDWATER: YOUR HEALTH AND YOUR BUSINESS

Future Considerations

Delineating and protection of sensitive areas
Optimizing natural attenuation processes
Improved understanding of main issues between all stakeholders

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Last Revised: Sunday, May 09, 2010 09:47:31 AM