Environment

Water source protection plan

In February 2024, Ville de Saint-Lazare launched an information and awareness campaign targeting properties in the Saddlebrook and Sainte-Angélique sectors.

What is the objective?

The drinking water source protection plan aims to implement the recommendations of the latest groundwater vulnerability report conducted in 2021, which can be viewed at ville.saint-lazare.qc.ca/en/the-city/studies-and-reports#hydrology

What's the background?

Municipalities that operate wells to supply their population with drinking water are required to submit vulnerability reports on the water they use to the government. They are also obliged to inform citizens whose property is located in a protection area that a water withdrawal site (municipal well) is nearby. In addition, the Règlement sur le prélèvement des eaux et leur protection (RPEP) also provides for the implementation of the report's recommendations. These actions stem from the Quebec Water Strategy 2018-2030.

What actions does the city plan to take? What actions are planned by the city?

1. Carry out a detailed inventory of septic systems and oil tanks.
2. Raise homeowners' awareness of good practices and what the regulations say about septic systems, oil tanks and equestrian activities.
3. Support citizens in bringing their systems up to standard and answer any questions they may have.

Who is targeted by this campaign?

All properties located in whole or in part within the immediate and intermediate well protection areas.

What are protection areas?

The immediate and intermediate protection areas correspond to the areas most sensitive to human activities that can have an impact on the quality and quantity of groundwater. Their delimitation is based on the parameters set out in the RPEP (Règlement sur le prélèvement des eaux et leur protection) of the ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP).

Source: https://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/eau/souterraines/drastic/guide.pdf

How do I know if my property is in one of these protected areas?

Consult the maps to check which part of your property lies within the protection areas of a water withdrawal site.

• Saddlebrooke Sector

• Chemin Sainte-Angélique North Sector

• Chemin Sainte-Angélique South Sector

• Saint-Louis Sector

What is the information and awareness campaign?

The City has sent notices to properties located in protection areas, as well as to those in equestrian and/or agricultural zones whose activities merit special attention in order to preserve the quality of our groundwater.

Download the notice for Saint-Louis sectorDownload the notice for agricultural and equestrian areas

Property owners in the Saddlebrook and Sainte-Angélique sectors have also received a form that they must complete and return by April 12, 2024, using one of the following methods:

• by mail in the stamped envelope included in the mailing;
• by dropping it off at the City Hall, to the attention of the Service de l’environnement;
• by e-mailing a scanned copy of the form to eau@ville.saint-lazare.qc.ca;   

Download the form

What facilities and activities must be monitored?

When located in immediate and intermediate protection areas, the following facilities and activities must be well supervised and may sometimes be prohibited.

• Septic systems

When the performance and tightness of a septic system are compromised, it can become a source of groundwater contamination.

As a homeowner, you must ensure that your septic system does not cause environmental or public health problems. All components of your septic system must always function optimally.

Consult the green sheet "Les installations septiques" (in French only) to learn about regulations, failure indicators and the role of the homeowner.

 Download the Septic systems green sheet

• Horse manure

Horse manure is often perceived as being harmless to the environment, when in fact it can be harmful to surface and ground water quality. In fact, when poorly managed, equestrian activities such as exercise yards, barns and the storage of manure on the ground can have an impact on the environment.

Consult the green sheet "Le fumier de cheval" (in French only) to find out about restrictions on use that may apply to your situation, as well as regulations and best practices.

Download the Horse manure green sheet

• Fuel oil tanks

Leaks from aging tanks are the main cause of soil and water contamination in residential areas, leading to significant decontamination costs. Fuel oil tanks are considered a major threat to groundwater, especially when located in vulnerable areas.

Find out for yourself: you could be eligible for financial assistance under the government's Chauffez vert program!

Consult the green fact sheet "Les reservoirs de mazout" (in French only) to learn about the risks, the best practices to adopt, and the new regulations in force since December 2023.

Download the Oil tanks green sheet