Water from tributaries and the surrounding watershed drain into the South Nation River. Roughly 60% of the water in the South Nation River is fed by groundwater sources. Residents, businesses and industry within the watershed rely on clean freshwater for many uses ranging from drinking water, food processing, crop irrigation and manufacturing. Except for Casselman and Plantagenet, the major source for clean water in the watershed is groundwater.

Lièvre WatershedMost municipalities obtain their drinking water thanks to a water supply and distribution system that serves residents who live within municipal boundaries. Supply sources vary from one municipality to another: some draw their water directly from a lake or waterway, while others are supplied by groundwater production wells. However, the supply of clean water can be jeopardized by pollution or human activity. In the Buckingham sector of the City of Gatineau, the water intake is situated in the Lièvre River and supplies close to 20,000 people.

Click here to find the source of your drinking water

Surface Water Sources

The watershed basin of the Gatineau River contains thirteen municipal networks of drinking water distribution serving a little more than 60% of the population. Nearly 88% of these people live in the City of Gatineau which draws its water from the Ottawa River rather then the Gatineau River.

Mississippi Watershed

Groundwater

The following municipalities have municipal drinking water systems supplied by groundwater within the Mississippi and Rideau watersheds:

• City of Ottawa:

1. Carp – water source, overburden sand aquifer
2. King’s Park Subdivision (Richmond) – water source, Nepean sandstone aquifer; and
3. Munster Hamlet – water source, Nepean sandstone aquifer;

• Municipality of North Grenville – Kemptville – water source, Nepean sandstone aquifer;
• Town of Mississippi Mills – Almonte – water source, Nepean sandstone aquifer;
• Village of Merrickville-Wolford – Merrickville – water source, Nepean sandstone aquifer; and
• Village of Westport – Westport – water source, Nepean sandstone aquifer.

Surface Water

The following municipalities have municipal drinking water systems supplied by surface water within the Mississippi and Rideau watersheds:Mississippi Watershed

• City of Ottawa – Britannia and Lemieux Island Water Treatment Plants – water source, Ottawa River;
• Town of Carleton Place – Carleton Place Water Treatment Plant – water source, Mississippi River
• Town of Perth – Perth Water Treatment Plant – water source, Tay River; and
• Town of Smiths Falls – Smiths Falls Water Treatment Plant – water source, Rideau River.

As detailed above, the total population on private drinking water wells in both watersheds is approximately 135,000 persons.

Rideau 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.