January 24, 2012

Grants available to rural landowners

for water protection projects

Farmers and rural landowners with property near municipal drinking water wells and surface water intakes in the Long Point Region watershed may be eligible for grants to undertake projects to protect water quality.

Money is available under the Ontario Drinking Water Stewardship Early Response Program for a variety of projects including:

• Manure storage: 70% funding up to a maximum of $50,000
• Drafting nutrient management plans: 75% funding up to a maximum of $2,000
• Upgrading private wells or decommissioning unused wells: 80 % funding up to a maximum of $4,000
• Septic system upgrades and replacement: 80% funding up to a maximum of $7,000 for conventional systems or $15,000 for advanced treatment systems
• Watercourse fencing or buffers: 50% funding up to a maximum of $6,000

The grants are available for properties near the drinking water sources that are the most vulnerable to potential contamination. These are within the Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPA) and the Intake Protection Zones (IPZ) around surface water intakes indentified through the Drinking Water Source Protection Program.

The stewardship program is an initiative of the provincial government. It is administered locally be the Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA).

Funding is limited so not all applications will be approved.

For more information, contact April Anderson, Lands & Waters Technician with the LPRCA at 519-842-4242, ext 236 or aanderson@lprca.on.ca