Celebrate Canada Water Week!

Whitby, Ontario – The Regional Municipality of Durham, Works Department is excited to celebrate our local waters during Canada Water Week (March 20 to 27) and on World Water Day (March 22). In recognition of Canada Water Week, Durham Region has proclaimed March 20 to 27 as Water Week to remind residents about the value of water.

“Durham Region is home to some of the best tap water in the world,” says John Presta, Director of Environmental Services. “Canada Water Week and World Water Day provide an important reminder on how fortunate we are in Canada to have a clean, secure supply of water.”

Municipal drinking water in Durham Region is processed through a treatment system in accordance with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change requirements, which regulate both quality and quantity. Water is screened, treated and filtered to remove impurities; disinfected; and then delivered to homes and businesses through a system of watermains, pumping stations and reservoirs. Water for the Region’s municipal water supply systems comes from three sources: Lake Ontario for our southern municipalities; Lake Simcoe for Beaverton; and groundwater wells for the remaining communities.

Wastewater that is flushed down the toilet or put down the drain flows through a network of pipes, known as the sanitary sewer system. The wastewater is treated at one of the Region’s 11 sewage treatment plants in accordance with the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change requirements that regulate the quality of the effluent discharged into receiving waters.

Ensuring a clean, safe supply of water is complicated and costly. Municipal water and sanitary sewer services are 100 per cent rate-supported; they are not funded by property taxes. Investing in our infrastructure and water conservation efforts are important to protect this vital and limited resource. Water conservation also helps extend the life of Durham's municipal water infrastructure. For easy-to-follow water conservation tips at and around the home, residents are urged to check out the new Be Water Smart video series at www.durham.ca/waterefficiency.

Canada Water Week is an annual celebration of water organized by The Gordon Foundation, Living Lakes Network Canada, the Canadian Freshwater Alliance and World Wildlife Fund. For more information, visit www.canadawaterweek.com.

International World Water Day is an annual event that began in 1993, in which the world comes together to focus on the importance of fresh water and the sustainable management of water resources. For more information, visit www.unwater.org.

For more information on Durham Region’s municipal water supply, visit www.durham.ca/water.

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