Enhancing source water protection and watershed management: Lessons from the case of the New Brunswick Water Classification Initiative

Baird, Julia; Plummer, Ryan; Morris, Samantha; Mitchell, Simon; Rathwell, Kaitlyn

doi:10.1080/07011784.2013.872872

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Though there were policy tools for municipalities in regard to SWP previous to the Walkerton tragedy, these were implemented in an ad hoc manner [14,15]. The CWA and it's regulations were created in response to Justice O'Connor's recommendations [2,8,15] and resulted in Ontario "making more comprehensive efforts to focus on source water protection than in other Canadian jurisdictions" [13] (p. 9). Ontario's Act was designed to be an integrated, science-based approach, using a governance structure that engaged multiple stakeholders.…”

Section: Source Water Protection Under Ontario's Clean Water Act (Somentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Each source protection area/region engaged multi-stakeholder source protection committees in order to assess threats and develop regional source protection plans [8,15]. The source protection authority appointed source protection committee members, with the exception of the chair who was appointed by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.…”

Section: Source Water Protection Under Ontario's Clean Water Act (Somentioning

confidence: 99%

“…SWP can be an important first line of defense in ensuring drinking water safety, and is an essential component in a multi-barrier approach to drinking water management [2,6]. SWP reduces costs of treatment and enhances drinking water safety [7][8][9]. Through SWP, "drinking water safety will be enhanced because treatment systems (especially in smaller communities) may not be able to eliminate all potential chemical, biological and radiological contaminants" [9] (p. 243).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ontario’s Clean Water Act and Capacity Building: Implications for Serviced Rural Municipalities

Minnes¹

2017

Water

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This research explores Ontario's Clean Water Act (S. O. 2006, c. 22) and its contribution to capacity building for rural municipalities impacted by source protection plans created under the Act. Source water protection (SWP) under the Clean Water Act (S. O. 2006, c. 22) is explored drawing from a capacity framework. A nested case study approach has been employed to allow for in depth exploration of the experience within the Cataraqui Source Protection Area and the North Bay-Mattawa Source Protection Area, where key informant interviews were conducted. Findings are outlined looking at four elements of capacity for SWP: institutional, financial, social, and technical/human. It was found that the process was successful for building capacity in the serviced rural municipalities involved, but did not provide any meaningful protection for areas reliant on private drinking water systems such as wells. Several improvements to the legislated process were suggested including greater flexibility for local circumstance and better methods for engagement of First Nations and the general public. It is unknown if this capacity will be sustained as the program continues and provincial funding is reduced. Reduced funding will particularly impact rural communities that lack the internal human and financial capacity to implement SWP policies without the assistance of provincial funding and conservation authority staff (who also rely on provincial/municipal funding sources). Ultimately, it was found that SWP in rural areas requires enforceable mandatory legislation; sustainable provincial funding and municipal fiscal frameworks to support ongoing SWP planning and implementation; technical aid at the regional level; and support and commitment to SWP at the local level (e.g., municipalities, local health units, landowners, residents and watershed users).

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Section: Source Water Protection Under Ontario's Clean Water Act (Somentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Source Water Protection Under Ontario's Clean Water Act (Somentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ontario’s Clean Water Act and Capacity Building: Implications for Serviced Rural Municipalities

Minnes¹

2017

Water

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“…The remainder of the province lives in smaller more rural communities [29]. NL has ample freshwater resources [30] and like other provinces in Canada, NL utilizes a multi-barrier approach to drinking water management [31]. The Multi-Barrier Strategic Action Plan was instituted in 2001 as the overall guiding framework for guaranteeing the protection of drinking water in the province of NL.…”

Section: Source Water Protection In Newfoundland and Labradormentioning

confidence: 99%

Source Water Protection in Rural Newfoundland and Labrador: Limitations and Promising Actions

Eledi

Minnes

Vodden

2017

Water

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Abstract:The purpose of this paper is to exemplify through recent research in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) the extent of the current limitations for source water protection and potential opportunities for improvement in the province, particularly for rural communities. The findings of this paper draw from the results of four related studies led by the co-authors. These four studies took place in NL between 2012 and 2016, and derived data through a mixed-method approach using literature reviews, key informant interviews, surveys, and consultations. The article provides an overview of the state of source water protection in NL and the challenges faced, with case examples to illustrate key points. Findings indicate there is currently a source water protection gap in NL limiting local governments in implementing their source water protection obligations under provincial policy and regulations. This implementation gap has been attributed to a lack of capacity for watershed monitoring, a lack of awareness of the need for source water protection and of municipal responsibilities, conflicts over multi-use watersheds and a lack of watershed planning and management. Greater education and collaboration in source water protection efforts amongst all watershed users, watershed groups, local governments and the provincial government could offer promise to fill this gap.

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“…This is the case in the Canadian portion of the St. John River, a transboundary river shared by Canada and the United States. Here, an informal network of watershed organizations emerged, despite the failure by the provincial government to implement water-protection recommendations from its own watershed classification strategy (Baird et al 2014). This network advocated for the implementation of key provisions of the strategy, and had a scope and influence that ultimately had the government re-engage with the issue and with a range of water actors.…”

Section: Engage Boundary Organizations and Informal Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Science–policy processes for transboundary water governance

Armitage

Loë

Morris

et al. 2015

Ambio

Self Cite

118

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In this policy perspective, we outline several conditions to support effective science-policy interaction, with a particular emphasis on improving water governance in transboundary basins. Key conditions include (1) recognizing that science is a crucial but bounded input into water resource decision-making processes; (2) establishing conditions for collaboration and shared commitment among actors; (3) understanding that social or group-learning processes linked to science-policy interaction are enhanced through greater collaboration; (4) accepting that the collaborative production of knowledge about hydrological issues and associated socioeconomic change and institutional responses is essential to build legitimate decision-making processes; and (5) engaging boundary organizations and informal networks of scientists, policy makers, and civil society. We elaborate on these conditions with a diverse set of international examples drawn from a synthesis of our collective experiences in assessing the opportunities and constraints (including the role of power relations) related to governance for water in transboundary settings.

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Enhancing source water protection and watershed management: Lessons from the case of the New Brunswick Water Classification Initiative

Cited by 13 publications

References 31 publications

Ontario’s Clean Water Act and Capacity Building: Implications for Serviced Rural Municipalities

Ontario’s Clean Water Act and Capacity Building: Implications for Serviced Rural Municipalities

Source Water Protection in Rural Newfoundland and Labrador: Limitations and Promising Actions

Science–policy processes for transboundary water governance

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