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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2013-05-23, Page 9THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013. PAGE 9. Grant funding has been extendedinto 2013 to help local propertyowners near municipal wells to complete projects to protect drinking water in the Ausable BayfieldMaitland Valley Drinking WaterSource Protection Region. Conservation authorities for the Maitland Valley and AusableBayfield watersheds have announcedthat grants are available in 2013 through a date extension of the Ontario Drinking Water StewardshipProgram (ODWSP) delivery in theregion. “We are very pleased that the Province of Ontario has extended the date that property owners in our area can benefit from this program,” said Kate Monk, Stewardship and Conservation Lands Supervisor at Ausable Bayfield Conservation. “Landowners are improving their properties and protecting their community’s drinking water and the extension of Ontario funding in this region will continue to help them do that.” Property owners in vulnerable areas around municipal wells have been protecting local drinking water sources, since 2007, through voluntary projects such as well and septic upgrades and improved storage of chemicals, nutrients, and fuel. The drinking water stewardship program has supported them with grants covering the majority of that work. The newly-announced funding is only available for projects completed this year, or before drinking water source protection plans take effect (as early as autumn of 2013), so landowners are encouraged to talk to staff members soon about projects to be done in the spring or summer seasons this year. There is a limited amount of funding available, and it will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The 2013 extension of funding includes more than $250,000 in grants for landowner projects to reduce risk to drinking water where significant drinking water threats (land use activities near municipal wells, such as septic systems, storage of chemicals, storage or application of nutrients, or storage of home heating oil or other fuels) have been assessed. Grants are provided to landowners who undertake projects to address activities on their property that may pose a significant threat to a municipal source of drinking water. Property owners can find out if they are eligible by looking online at assessment report maps for their community at sourcewaterinfo.on.ca or they can phone 519-335-3557 and ask for Donna. Local homeowners, farmers, business people, and other property owners in the region have received nearly $800,000 in grants so far for their work that protects municipal drinking water sources. Eligible projects include wells (upgrades or decommissioning), septic systems (upgrades or decommissioning), fuel storage (such as better containment for home heating oil), storage and containment of harmful chemicals (dense non-aqueous phase liquids), manure storage, runoff and erosion control projects, and other best management practices. Many local people get their drinking water from municipal wellsdrawing water underground, fromaquifers. Those communities have wellhead protection areas around their municipal wells. Communities with wellhead protection areas in the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Source Protection Region include Atwood, Auburn, Belgrave, Benmiller, Blyth, Brucefield, Brussels, Clifford, Clinton, Dungannon, Gowanstown, Harriston, Listowel, Lucknow, Molesworth, Palmerston, Seaforth, Whitechurch, Wingham and Zurich. Other wellhead protection areas include the Harbour Lights, Carriage Lane, Sam, and Vandewetering well supplies near Bayfield; the McClinchey and Kelly well supplies south of Goderich; Century Heights wells, near Saltford; and the Huron Sands well, north of Port Albert. The Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Program is one of the ways the Province of Ontario is protecting municipal drinking water sources. The program is part of the Clean Water Act, 2006. The drinking water source protection program, including planning and stewardship streams, is implementing key recommendations of the O’Connor Inquiry. Source protection, combined with effective testing, training, treatment, monitoring, and distribution, reduces risk to your municipal drinking water sources by providing multiple barriers of protection. The Province of Ontario committed $28 million over four years through the voluntary stewardship program to assist owners of homes, farms, and businesses, and municipalities, to protect municipal drinking water. Stewardship funding under ODWSP has included Education and Outreach; Early Actions; and Early Response phases. Early Response funding is available in the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Source Protection Region and has now been extended for 2013. Projects completed this year, and before the implementation date for source protection plans, will be considered. For more information on this funding opportunity, to help protect your local water supply, visit sourceprotectionstewardship.on.ca and sourcewaterinfo.on.ca or phone 519-335-3557 or toll-free 1-888- 286-2610 or e-mail stewardship@ sourcewaterinfo.on.ca Conservation Authorities make grants available New faces The Blyth Lions Club has welcomed a handful of new members in the last few weeks, including, top, from left: new members Joe Hallahan, Jamie Smith and Scott Laflamme, who were inducted by Past-District Governor John Stewart. Below, from left, are new member Jim Johnston and his Lions Club sponsor Gary Courtney; new member Ric McBurney and his Lions Club sponsor John Stewart and Ryan Lee, who sponsored new member Mike Ansley. (Photos submitted) Spring cleaning Ryan Lee of the Blyth Lions Club was one of many Lions Club members who recently spent some time outdoors cleaning up Blyth Lions Park. With the snow finally off the ground and spring weather trying to show itself, the club figured it was time to get the park ready for the warm weather. (Vicky Bremner photo) • Complete and partial dentures • Denture repairs ~ same day • Relines • Additions • Implant Retained Overdentures Albert Street Denture Clinic 50 Albert St., Clinton 519-482-1195 Clinton Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 9 am - 5 pm Goderich Dental Clinic 519-482-1195 Office of Dr. Olga Rodrigues 169 Bayfield Rd Goderich Hours: Fri. 9 am - 1 pm DENTURESthat fit... Dean R. McTaggart DD • Michelle K. Gimena DD STAINED GLASS Blyth 519-523-4355 #3 And We Try Harder Recent circulation figures for the 8 paid circulation newspapers serving Huron County show The Citizen has the 3rd highest circulation. The Citizen Proudly Community-Owned Since 1985