Source Water Protection Committee Terms of Reference Policy (COM-20210309-03) — full text

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Town of Trenton POLICY NO. COM-20210309-03 APPROVED: 2021-03-09 PAGE 1 OF 5 SOURCE WATER PROTECTION COMMITTEE TERMS OF REFERENCE POLICY Introduction The Town of Trenton (hereafter "the Town") has established the Source Water Protection (SWP) Committee as a standing advisory committee to provide Council with advice and recommendations on matters concerning land-use issues, as well as water quality, levels and flows in the SWP Area. 1. Authority 1.1. Municipal Government Act The Town of Trenton is authorized to establish committees of Council, as per Part I, Sections 24- 27 of the Municipal Government Act. 1998, c. 18, s. 1. 1.2. Town Policies All committee work will be carried out in accordance with the Town of Trenton's Committee Procedural Policy (COM-20201013). Members are expected to operate in compliance with this policy and all policies, laws and regulations governing the Town. The Committee will consider aligning the consensus-based approach referred to in section 9. 2. Definitions Source water protection area - The portion of the source water supply area that will be covered by the source water area protection plan. Surface water supply area - The area of the watershed that contributes all the water that is used to supply drinking water from the source. Surface water sources can include a lake, river, or stream. Groundwater supply area - The land area that contributes water to the community well, also known as the wellhead area. Watershed - The area drained by or contributing to a stream, lake, or other body of water. It also can be described as the geographic area of land and water within the confines of a drainage divide. Another way to think about what a watershed boundary represents is to consider a soup bowl. If you placed a small amount of water in the bowl it would settle at the bottom of the bowl. The water at Town of Trenton POLICY NO. COM-20210309-03 APPROVED: 2021-03-09 PAGE 2 OF 5 the bottom of the bowl represents a lake, and the bowl represents the lake's watershed. If you pour water onto any part of the bowl it will eventually land at the bottom of the bowl, or in the lake. However, if you pour water outside of the bowl (i.e., on the other side of the bowl's lip) it will flow somewhere else. Therefore, the bowl's lip can also be thought of as the watershed boundary. Groundwater - Water naturally occurring beneath the surface of the earth. It is water in the ground that is stored in an aquifer from which wells, springs, and groundwater runoff are supplied. Aquifer - A geological formation, group of formations, or part of a formation that consists of sufficient saturated permeable materials to yield economical quantities of water to wells and springs. Any water- bearing stratum of rock, earth, or gravel that has sufficient porosity and permeability to yield ample supplies of groundwater in the form of wells or springs. 3. Scope The composition of the advisory committee should reflect the jurisdiction the supply serves. 4. Mandate The Committee will report to the Town Council and be recognized by the Council and the Municipality of the County of Pictou. Members will be appointed by the Council, in consultation with the Town and the County. 5. Goals & Objectives 5.1. To develop a source water protection plan and provide the Council with advice on matters concerning land-use issues, as well as water quality, levels and flows in the Source Water Protection Area. 5.2. To provide advice to the Council: 5.2.1. that will attempt to satisfy the water quality and quantity concerns of all stakeholder groups; 5.2.2. about the sources of contamination in the source water supply area; 5.2.3. about the management options available; and 5.2.4. about the success of the protection plan. Town of Trenton POLICY NO. COM-20210309-03 APPROVED: 2021-03-09 PAGE 3 OF 5 6. Responsibilities 6.1. The Committee will review and make recommendations on all activities affecting the SWP area as requested by the Council; 6.2. The Committee may from time-to-time request individuals or groups to make representation to the committee on matters affecting the SWP area. 6.3. The Committee will review and comment on water quality and quantity monitoring programs and other studies related to the SWP area. All water quality information available from member agencies shall be made available to the Committee. 6.4. The Committee will liaise with government agencies not represented on the Committee regarding matters affecting the SWP area, particularly the Departments of Environment, Health Promotion and Protection, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 6.5. The Committee will develop information and education programs about source water protection for residents, land owners and other users of the SWP area lands. 7. Guiding Principles 7.1. Values The Committee Procedural Policy Section 7.1 (Conduct of Members) will guide Committee efforts, promoting the highest ethical standards and professionalism while ensuring that the best interests of the community are met. 8. Number of Members 8.1. The Source Water Protection Committee will be composed of: - Town Engineer - Director of Water Works - Fire Chief, Trenton Fire Department - Planner for the Town of Trenton - One (1) Town of Trenton Resident - One (1) member of the Town Council - One (1) representative from Nova Scotia Environment - One (1) representative from Trenton Airport Town of Trenton POLICY NO. COM-20210309-03 APPROVED: 2021-03-09 PAGE 4 OF 5 8.2. The Source Water Protection Committee shall be supported by: - Town Council - Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) 8.3. A cross section of people shall be chosen to bring to the committee relevant technical and professional expertise as well as strong advocacy, communication, and organizational skills. Where possible, membership should be composed of representatives of all stakeholders in the source water protection area. 9. Understanding the Consensus-Based Approach 9.1. In a consensus process, representatives of all the necessary interests that have a stake in an issue work together to find a mutually acceptable solution. Successful consensus processes follow several guiding principles: 9.1.1. Consensus decision-making - Participants make decisions by agreement rather than by majority vote. 9.1.2. Inclusiveness - All necessary interests are represented or, at a minimum, approve of the discussions. 9.1.3. Accountability - Participants usually represent stakeholder groups or interests. They are accountable both to their constituents and to the process. 9.1.4. Flexibility - Participants design a process and address the issues in a manner they determine most suitable to the situation. 9.1.5. Shared control - Participants share responsibility for setting the ground rules for a process and for creating outcomes. 9.1.6. Commitment to implementation - The sponsor and all stakeholder groups commit to carrying out their agreement. 9.2. When groups are engaging in problem-solving discussions, it is important to exchange information, frame issues, generate and evaluate options, develop mutually acceptable solutions, and secure the endorsement of all constituents and authorized decision-makers. The municipality retains final decision-making authority, but in a consensus process the utility or municipality puts the product of a consensus process out for official review as the proposed decision. Town of Trenton POLICY NO. COM-20210309-03 APPROVED: 2021-03-09 PAGE 5 OF 5 9.3. Consensus in the public policy setting occurs when: 9.3.1. the parties have reached a meeting of the minds sufficient to make a decision and carry it out, or 9.3.2. no one who could block or obstruct the decision or its implementation will exercise that power, or 9.3.3. everyone needed to support the decision and put it into effect will do so. 9.4. Given the mixture of issues and values in source water protection, the resulting agreement will be met with varying levels of enthusiasm and support for different components, but on balance will be one that each party or stakeholder can accept. CAO's Annotation for Official Policy Book Policy Number: COM-20210309-03 Date of Notice to Council Members of Intent to Consider (Minimum 7 Days): March 02, 2021 Council Approval: 2021/ 03/ 09 Y M D Date of Passage of Current Policy: March 09, 2021 Effective Date: 2021/ 03/ 09 Y M D I certify that this Policy was adopted by Council as indicated above. Supersedes Date: / / Y M D