best viewed on a large screen
The Bare Foundations
Highly Vulnerable Aquifers have very little natural protection from sewage, chemicals, and other substances that can contaminate groundwater.
An expansive 90% of the Mississippi - Rideau Source Protection Region is underlain by these Highly Vulnerable Aquifers, leaving them extremely vulnerable to contamination.
At the same time, our aquifers provide drinking water to several municipal supply wells, many private communal wells, and to more than 110, 000 people that rely on private individual groundwater wells. Many of these people consume groundwater from Highly Vulnerable Aquifers, or HVA. Therefore, the health and prosperity of many may be at risk.
Get further aquainted with the HVA story. Spend 5 minutes with the next introductory video.
Then, scroll down or navigate with the above menu to answer the main questions we should ask about our HVA.
Our Aquifers
HVA Defined
Our shallow aquifers are highly vulnerable to contamination in 3 types of settings, as shown in the following slideshow. Aquifer vulnerability is discussed throughout the provincially approved MRSPR Assessment Report .
HVA Threats
Our aquifers are at risk of contamination from many common activities on our landscape.
Aquifers are also extremely expensive, if not impossible to clean up once contaminated. And, our aquifers are directly connected to most rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands in our region. So, all of our drinking water and natural water bodies may become contaminated if our groundwater is unhealthy.
There are several groups of issues that can affect the health of our underground drinking water supplies.
HVA Protection
Now that we understand the risks, what can we do about them? Thankfully, there are many ways individuals, businesses, and municipalities can reduce the health risks to our communities and conserve our underground drinking water supplies for generations to come.
There are four types of actions we can take to better address the risks from and to HVA.
Learn about and discuss the risks to your family, business, and community's health from the common threats to aquifer health summarized in the HVA Threats section.
By locating your water well record through Ontario's interactive map (next), you can discover how much soil overlies and protects the aquifer at your house and in your community, and learn much more about your drinking water well.
You can also dive into the research depths via our thematic Bibliography of Available Knowledge and the HVA Resources section, below.
Get better aquainted with HVAs. Spend 7 minutes with the next video.
HVA Resources
Below, you will find more articles, videos, reports, and fact sheets to help you learn more and take action to protect our groundwater.
If you want to take a deep dive into the published science, check-out our thematic Bibliography of Available Knowledge .
general ACTIONS
ACTIONS for - water wells
Water Supply Wells: Requirements and Best Practices
positioning your water well - ALWAYS DO MORE than the MINIMUM !
when to test your well water - ONCE is NEVER ENOUGH !
what to test in your well water ! - MUCH MORE than just BACTERIA
maintenance and repair needs - your FAMILY'S HEALTH in the balance
ACTIONS for - Agriculture
ACTIONS for - Salt
ACTIONS for - Fuel Storage
ACTIONS for - Septic Systems
ACTIONS for - Medicine
ACTIONS for - Cosmetic Pesticides
ACTIONS for - Small Business Chemical Use
ACTIONS for - Household Chemical Use
Acknowledgment
It is understood that Ontario's Mississippi River and Rideau River watersheds are located within the traditional territory of the Algonquin people as well as those of the Anishinabek , Huron - Wendat , Haudenosaunee , and Oneida peoples, which were included in the Upper Canada Treaties . Several of these first nations remain in negotiations with the colonizing Canadian government . The Rideau Valley and Mississippi Valley conservation authorities understand that the spirituality, culture, and livelihoods of the first nations were and remain intricately interwoven with our natural environment. We recognize that they are the traditional guardians of our lands and waters, and we honor their knowledge keepers and leaders: past, present and future. We commit to deepening our understanding of local Indigenous peoples and their cultures and to move forward in a spirit of reconciliation, respect, and collaboration.
