Source Water Protection
CBRM protects drinking water through designated source water protection areas, watershed management plans, restrictions on activities around lakes and wellfields and regular monitoring for illegal dumping, boating and off-highway vehicle (OHV) use.
Source Water Area
A source water area includes all land and water that contribute to a drinking water supply, either surface water (lakes and reservoirs) or groundwater (wellfields).
View Map of Source Water Area (PDF, 486 KB)
CBRM’s drinking water system includes five surface water supplies, the Middle Lake Road Wellfield and two small community wells.
Pottle Lake, located west of the community of North Sydney, supplies drinking water to the urban areas of the Northside. The watershed includes all the lands and streams which drain into Pottle Lake.
View Pottle Lake Map (PDF, 206 KB)
Pottle Lake Source Water Protection Planning (SWPP) Committee
Established in May 2008, the committee develops and monitors the Pottle Lake Source Water Protection Plan to guide long-term protection of the watershed.
- Pottle Lake Source Water Protection Plan 2013 (PDF, 2.6 MB)
Waterford Lake supplies the New Waterford Water Treatment Plant. About half of its water comes from Kilkenny Lake through an underground pipeline. This system provides drinking water to the communities of New Waterford, Scotchtown, River Ryan, New Victoria and Lingan.
View Waterford and Kilkenny Lakes Map (PDF, 957 KB)
Waterford and Kilkenny Lakes Source Water Protection Planning Committee
The committee began meeting in July 2008 and has established a protection plan for the watershed.
- New Waterford Source Water Protection Plan prepared by ADI Limited 2007 (PDF, 8 MB)
- Waterford Lake Risk Assessment 2013 (PDF, 7 KB)
- Waterford Lake Implementation Schedule 2014 (PDF, 13 KB)
- Kilkenny Lake Risk Assessment 2013 (PDF, 12 KB)
- Kilkenny Lake Implementation Schedule 2014 (PDF, 19 KB)
The MacAskill Brook Dam Reservoir supplies drinking water to the communities of Glace Bay, Dominion, Reserve Mines, Tower Road, Donkin, Birch Grove and Port Morien. The watershed includes all lands and streams that drain into the reservoir, covering approximately 3,700 hectares (over 6,600 acres).
- MacAskill Brook Dam Reservoir Map (PDF, 330 KB)
- Birch Grove and Area Watershed Ownership Map (PDF, 1.2 MB)
MacAskill Brook Dam Reservoir Source Water Protection Planning Committee (also known as Birch Grove and Area SWPP Committee)
Established in December 2008, the committee developed Source Water Protection Plans for three water sources: MacAskill Brook Dam Reservoir, Sand Lake and John Allen Lake. Since 2012, MacAskill Brook Dam Reservoir has replaced Sand Lake and John Allen Lake as the active supply.
Kelly Lake supplies drinking water to the community of Louisbourg. The watershed includes Stewarts Lake, Gull Lakes, Morrisons Lake, Peters Lake, MacLeans Lake, MacDonalds Little Lake, and all surrounding lands, ponds, streams and stillwaters that drain into Kelly Lake.
View Kelly Lake Map (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Kelly Lake Source Water Protection Planning Committee
The committee completed the Source Water Protection Plan for the Kelly Lake watershed in 2009.
- Kelly Lake Source Water Protection Plan 2013 (PDF, 2.3 MB)
The Middle Lake Road Wellfield is a series of deep groundwater wells that supply drinking water to the communities of Sydney, Coxheath, Westmount, Sydney River, Grand Lake Road and Mira Road.
- Middle Lake Wellfield Map (PDF, 982 KB)
- Middle Lake Wellfield Ownership Map (PDF, 3 MB)
Groundwater Protection Plan
A groundwater protection strategy was first developed when the wellfield was commissioned in 1996 and updated in 2006. A Groundwater Protection Planning Committee was established in 2009 to review risks, monitor the contribution zone and guide the ongoing protection of this groundwater source.
The committee continues to assess potential contamination risks and recommends long-term protection measures for the wellfield lands.
- Groundwater Protection Strategy Report 2006 (PDF, 7 MB)
- Middle Lake Road Wellfield Risk Assessment 2013 (PDF, 7 KB)
- Middle Lake Road Wellfield Implementation Schedule 2013 (PDF, 12 KB)
The CBRM Water Utility operates three small community wells serving between 45 and 250 residents across several rural areas.
Floral Heights Well
The Floral Heights community well supplies approximately 35 homes and delivers about 23 m³ (5,000 gallons) of treated water per day. A new treatment plant was commissioned in 2011.
View Floral Heights Source Water Protection Plan 2013 (PDF, 485 KB)
Gardiner Mines Community Well
Located off Centerville Road, the Gardiner Mines well provides roughly 2,000 gallons of water per day to about 15 homes in the Mackies Lane and Strang Road area.
View Gardiner Mines Source Water Protection Plan 2014 (PDF, 435 KB)