City Council approved the guiding principles, goal areas, and objectives for the Healthy Waters Plan at City Hall on Tuesday, October 2, 2024. This milestone sets the direction for protecting the Tamsin River, managing stormwater, and upgrading the water infrastructure you rely on every day.
Wrenford, like many older Ontario cities, uses a combined sewer system where rainwater runoff and household sewage travel through the same pipes. When heavy rain events overwhelm these pipes, combined sewer overflows can happen. This runoff picks up pollutants from roads and hard surfaces and carries them into the Tamsin River and its tributaries, like Corvid Creek. To fix this, the City is replacing old combined pipes with separated systems and investing in green rainwater infrastructure. Green infrastructure uses soil, plants, and natural landscapes to capture and treat rainwater closer to where it falls. This reduces the amount of water entering the underground pipes and helps keep your local waterways clean.
The plan also supports housing growth, addresses climate change, and builds resilience against extreme weather. It works alongside the Tamsin Valley Conservation Authority's shoreline and floodplain rules, and aligns with the City's long-range growth strategy. Council recently approved a significant increase in investments for sewer and drainage systems, ensuring the City can deliver these upgrades cost-effectively while protecting the environment for you and future generations.
"Protecting our waterways is a top priority for the City of Wrenford," says Mayor Danielle Okafor-Price. "The Healthy Waters Plan gives us a clear roadmap to upgrade our infrastructure, reduce pollution, and ensure our waterways remain safe and healthy for everyone. It also helps us prepare for a changing climate while supporting the growth our community needs."
You can help by reducing the water you use at home, properly disposing of chemicals and oils, and never dumping waste into storm drains. The City will host community information sessions in the coming months to share updates on specific projects and gather your feedback.
Visit the Water & Wastewater page to learn how the City manages your water and wastewater, and find tips on how you can protect local waterways. Details on our stormwater management and drainage strategy and the latest water quality reports and monitoring are available online.