York Region Water/Wastewater Master Plan review - Supply alternatives

NRU
Jan. 20, 2016
By Geordie Gordon

York Region staff says it is doing things a bit differently in this review of its water and wastewater master plan by integrating it with is official plan and transportation master plan updates. However, a local environmental group warns about the continued use of groundwater and an option that would increase its use as a part of any servicing strategy.

York Region infrastructure asset management director Stephen Fung told NRU that by undertaking the water review in coordination with the official plan and transportation master plan updates, the region can better anticipate water infrastructure implications in an area as the region works to accommodate its Growth Plan targets.

As part of its review the region is considering three servicing strategies to accommodate new community growth that is expected to occur by 2041 and will require an increase in water supply. Option one is to increase the use of Lake Ontario water, option two would increase the supply of water from Lake Simcoe, and option three would increase the use of groundwater.

York Region Environmental Alliance executive director Gloria Marsh is concerned about the continued use of groundwater, especially with respect to possible contamination from agricultural sources and would like to see that option off the table.

“To my mind, I could see a red flag there ... When you’re taking ground water it’s not flushing in natural streams or bodies of water ... So what you’re going to have is contamination
in the surface water,” she told NRU.

Marsh also cautions that there have been instances in rural areas of York Region where infrastructure, such as the 16th Avenue sewer line in Richmond Hill, has interfered with the recharge of smaller nearby lakes.

Fung said that while the region will continue to use groundwater from the Yonge Street aquifer to support growth in Aurora and Newmarket, the options to expand are limited by the provincial permit it has to withdraw water from the aquifer.

“We are limited by the permit that we can only take ‘x’ amount of water from the Yonge Street aquifer, so it’s not an option that you can deliver a lot of water supply to support the growth [with groundwater],” he said.

Modified from the original options, staff propose to present two servicing alternatives to support continued growth in East Gwillimbury, Newmarket and Aurora. These will be presented at upcoming open houses January 20 and 26. One alternative is to meet 100 per cent of future water needs by increasing the amount taken from Lake Ontario. Another alternative, which is the one staff recommend, is to draw some additional water from Lake Ontario, and some from Lake Simcoe.

More environmentally friendly, drawing water from Lake Simcoe enables the region to expend less energy. “One of the good things about the Lake Simcoe strategy is the amount of energy spent to move water from Lake Simcoe to East Gwillimbury is much less than what it required from Lake Ontario,” he said.

In addition to raising concerns about use of groundwater in the region, Marsh is seeking a stronger willingness on the part of the region to mandate the use of more water efficient plumbing fixtures and gray water recycling in the design of new developments.

The update to the York Water and Wastewater Master Plan is intended to be finished by June 2016.