The County of Huron recognizes the importance of protecting the quality and quantity of groundwater to continue safe drinking water supplies and maintain ecosystem functions.
The Planning and Development Department has conducted a county-wide Groundwater Study identifying the location and character of aquifers and capture zones for municipal wells.
Selected facts about the water supplies throughout Huron County that were identified
during this examination include:
- For the County’s 60,000 permanent residents and up to 10,000 seasonal residents, water is provided as follows:
| Approx. % of Population | |
|---|---|
| Municipal Wells | 30% |
| Private Wells | 45% |
| Lake Huron | 25% |
- Huron County has three main sources of drinking water:
- Water in bedrock (Northern 2/3 of the County)
- Water in the overburden (Southern 1/3 of the County)
- Surface water (Goderich and south along the lakeshore,
parts of Bayfield, and areas in South Huron)
- There are 34 municipal wells within the County of Huron and over 6,000 private wells
- Groundwater crosses County boundaries, especially deeper bedrock aquifers extending beyond the County limits
- Groundwater and surface water are inter-connected; efforts to protect one will benefit the other
- Protecting groundwater involves the public, groups, agencies and municipalities; no one single group can successfully address water protection
Additional information may be found in The Groundwater Study Summary prepared June 2001 by the Planning and Development Department.
Information regarding the implementation of the Groundwater Study and suggested protection measures for County, local municipalities and partner agencies is also available.