A safe and secure long-term water supply is crucial for the quality of life of all watershed residents. It is a key factor in ensuring economic prosperity and healthy communities. A healthy watershed means clean drinking water, habitat for wildlife, an adequate water supply for agriculture and business, and recreational opportunities such as canoeing, fishing and hiking.

Our watersheds are a series of interconnected ecosystems including, wetlands, streams, forests, lakes and rivers. The links between these areas means that what happens upstream will affect the environment downstream. It takes about three days for a drop of water to travel from the headwaters of the Maitland River to Lake Huron. The amount of water in our watersheds is finite because what we have available is continually recycled through the hydrological cycle.

Our actions can have a direct impact on the health of our water resources. Both surface water and groundwater can be easily contaminated and even if the quantity of pollutants at one source is small, the combined impact of sources across a watershed can be significant.

Water is truly a community resource! With careful use and protection of our water supplies we will continue to have enough clean water in the future.