Water Quality in the Rideau Watershed

RVCARVCASince the 1970s, numerous studies have been undertaken with a view to protecting the Rideau River’s value as an important natural and cultural heritage resource in Eastern Ontario and the greater Ottawa area.

Early efforts focused on water quality and the impact of urban pollutant sources on swimming beaches, progressing from the treatment of point sources such as combined sewer overflows, to non point sources such as urban runoff. These studies led to the adoption of a non-degradation policy aimed at controlling further runoff-borne bacterial loading, and the construction of stormwater treatment facilities for any new urban developments contributing runoff to the river and its tributaries.

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Rideau: Status of My Water Quality

Rideau WatershedRideau WatershedAccording to data so far, water quality in the Rideau River Watershed is fair. In fact, over the last few years it seems that there has been an improvement in water quality at many of the Conservation Authority sites. It is important to collect a significant number of years of data to get a reliable picture of changes to water quality in the watershed.

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Rideau: Where Does My Water Come From?

Rideau WatershedRideau WatershedResidents in the Rideau River Watershed rely on both surface water and groundwater sources at public systems and private domestic wells. They also rely on this water for agriculture and industrial uses.

Between the Rideau and Mississippi watersheds there are twelve municipal water supply. Seven of the supplies are sourced from the groundwater and five from surface water. The population serviced by these systems is approximately 731, 000. The locations of the municipal water supplies can be viewed by clicking on the surface water map.

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Rideau: How is My Water Treated?

Rideau WatershedRideau Watershed

Drinking Water Treatment

In the City of Ottawa the central drinking water system, draws untreated water  from the Ottawa River, treats it  at either the Britannia or Lemieux Island Water Purification Plants, and pumps through the distribution system. This system comprises a network of pipes, pumping stations, storage facilities, valves, fire hydrants, and water meters that pump, transmit, and store water at sufficient pressure to meet the needs of Ottawa residents.

The water rate is intended to cover the full cost of drinking water service delivery. Developers and development charges cover the cost of expanding the system into new areas.

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Rideau: How is My Water Quality Monitored and Managed?

Benthic Invertebrate Monitoring

Bugs, or more specifically, "benthic invertebrates", are great indicators of water quality. Some can tolerate pollution while others disappear as pollution increases. By sampling stream-bottom invertebrates (caddisflies, damselflies, crayfish, snails, aquatic worms, etc) biologists can, over time,identify changes in stream water conditions by counting the numbers and kinds of bottom bugs found.

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Rideau: How Can I Improve Local Water Quality?

Rideau Valley Conservation Authority has a number of water quality initiatives happening in the watershed - to learn more about these intiatives and see how you can become involved follow these links:

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