Water and Wastewater Master Plan: Background

Water and Wastewater Baseline Report
What are the current conditions of Water and Wastewater Infrastructure and Services in the Region?

A technical study has been recently completed that describes in details the current conditions of Water and Wastewater Infrastructure and Services in the Region inlcuding Water Sources and Treatment, Water Supply System, Wastewater Facilities, Wastewater Treatment Facilities (in the Lake Simcoe Watershed, and Lake Ontario Watershed), Wastewater Infrastructure, Water Systems Models, Wastewater Systems Models, and Infrastructure Rehabilitation Program. To download the report please click here [Note: A large 7.5 Mb pdf file will open.]

Working Paper Policy and Criteria Water and Wastewater
Master Plan Update
What are the existing water and wastewater policies in the Region?

This working paper reviews and documents the existing water and wastewater
policies, Regional responsibilities, and system criteria for consideration in the Master Plan update. To download the report please click here [Note: A 3.2 Mb pdf file will open.]

Unit Rates Report
What are the Unit Rates?

Water and wastewater unit rates determination is an important step in the Master Planning process. These rates are applied to the planning forecasts to establish the demands on the water supply and wastewater collection systems. The unit rates have a significant impact on the determination of the infrastructure requirements for the system. Oversizing could result in construction of infrastructure that is not required or operational issues that may result in water quality concerns. Infrastructure that is undersized may cause additional projects to be required soon after a projects completion this working paper is to document the water and wastewater unit rates that will be used for the Master Plan update. To download the report please click here [Note: A large 7.7 Mb pdf file will open.]

Water and Wastewater Citizen's Guide
Is there any non-technical document that explains water and wastewater services in our community?

We have put together an easy-to-read Citizen's Guide that provides background information on Water and Wastewater services in York Region and its importance to all residents. The guide addresses key points such as:

• What is a Water and Wastewater Master Plan?
• How is York Region planning for water conservation?
• Why is water and wastewater servicing important to residents?
• What has the Region done so far and what are the important findings from public consultation?
• What is sustainability and why is it important?
• How will the Master Plan address sustainability?
• What is the Triple Bottom Line approach?
• Water and wastewater sustainability principles
• Useful terms related to water and wastewater
• Frequently asked questions
• How to get involved in the process

To read or to download the guide please click here [552 kb] .

Water Supply – view our Map
How do we receive safe and healthy water supplies now?

• York Region is responsible for water supply, production, treatment, storage and trunk distribution, and is the wholesale supplier of water to the nine area municipalities.
• The area municipalities are the retail suppliers of water to the consumer and are responsible for their own distribution networks. The City of Toronto and Peel Region provide water supply to the southern portion of York Region and are responsible for treatment.
• Water supply in York Region comes from surface water (lakes) and groundwater sources. Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan are serviced by Lake Ontario through treatment facilities in the City of Toronto and Region of Peel.
• Surface water from Lake Ontario is supplementing the groundwater in the communities of Aurora and Newmarket.
• Groundwater is supplied from municipal wells in Aurora, Newmarket, Holland Landing, Sharon, Queensville, Mount Albert, King City, Nobelton, Schomberg, Stouffville, Ballantrae/Musselman Lake, Ansnorveldt and Kleinburg. In rural areas, individual private wells provide water supply. Lake Simcoe treatment plants provide municipal water supply for Sutton and Keswick.

• Wastewater leaving our homes and businesses travels through a network of piping or sanitary sewers to a wastewater treatment plant. Rainwater from eavestroughs, wastewater from washing cars in driveways and run-off from lawns (including fertilizer and pesticides) is collected in storm sewers that discharge directly into our streams.
• In York Region, most wastewater is collected in a large trunk sewer system called the York-Durham Sewage System (YDSS). The YDSS is a centralized sewage collection system that converges at the jointly operated Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plan located in Pickering and discharges treated effluent. All Provincial standards for ensuring that the treated water returned to Lake Ontario are met. into Lake Ontario.
• The YDSS serves Newmarket, Stouffville, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Vaughan and Markham. Separate treatment plants discharge into river tributaries exist in Sutton, Mount Albert, Holland Landing, Schomberg and Kleinburg.
• In rural areas where municipal sewers do not exist, privately owned septic systems treat wastewater.

Previous Studies
 What are the existing Master Plans for water and wastewater and where can I find them?

• The previously completed water and wastewater master plans were approved in 2004 and 2002 respectively. They incorporated the population changes and employment projections, land use and environmental policies, and the Region's Growth Management Initiative. For more information on the existing Water and Wastewater Master Plans please see the links below.

Long Term Water Project Master Plan Update (April 2004): View

YDSS Master Plan (March 2002): View. [Note: A large 8 Mb pdf file will open.]

Note: To see these pdf files you will need Acrobat Reader. To download a free copy of the Acrobat Reader software please click here