Feature Article

environmental zone

Private property rights and source water protection

Diane Saxe

There were two contradictory developments this past summer in the continuing struggle between private property rights and source water protection.

In June, the Ontario Court of Appeal struck down a County of Norfolk by-law intended to keep pig manure out of the municipal water supply. In Peacock v. Norfolk, a large pig farm is located within the two-year capture zone of a municipal drinking water well. This means that any manure spills would quickly pollute the water supply. The Peacocks obtained provincial approval to double the farm to 2000 hogs under the Nutrient Management Act, but the municipality resisted.

Ever since Walkerton, municipalities have been under pressure to protect their drinking water sources. With provincial encouragement and assistance, groundwater-dependent municipalities in Ontario have spent large sums mapping groundwater resources and identifying vulnerable areas. Under Bill 43, the proposed Clean Water Act, municipalities will be expected to regulate high-risk activities that take place within these areas. (The shorter the travel time between the surface and the well, the more stringent will be the requirements.)

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Insights

In many suburban landscapes across Canada, critical wetlands are being lost to encroaching development. It is important that these natural areas are protected to preserve water quality, because they help recharge aquifers that provide irrigation water for agriculture, as well as drinkable water for homes. – Heather Skydt

Read this article in the May 2008 issue of Municipal World.

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Feature Profile

GEORGE B. CUFF, CMC is a well-known name in the world of local government and author of the best-selling and highly praised book Making a Difference: Cuff's Guide for Municipal Leaders. He has authored numerous manuals and publications on topics relating to municipal government, public sector administration and leadership. His articles on governance and management have been published over the past two decades in Municipal World magazine. Each year, he speaks to various councils, boards, associations and management groups on a wide variety of issues pertaining to governance and senior management. Noted for his no-nonsense approach to municipal governance, Cuff has conducted organizational studies and/or seminars for over 300 organizations, including both the public and private sectors, and has worked in all provinces of Canada, the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

His experience includes 25 years of involvement with local government in various roles, including that of a department head, and a mayor. He is also a past president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association. A student, teacher and advisor on the art and principles of governance and the elements of effective organizations, Cuff has effectively applied his academic and experiential observations in his role as advisor to numerous small and large public sector organizations across Canada.

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