Pottle Lake SWPP Committee Terms of Reference

Pottle Lake Source Water Protection Planning (SWPP) Committee Mandate

The purpose of the Pottle Lake SWPP Committee is to:

Advise the CBRM Water Utility on the management of Pottle Lake watershed in order to ensure an adequate supply of safe drinking water from the lake;
Provide a forum for landowners, residents, and users of the watershed to discuss and to present their views on all matters related to the management of the watershed;
To prepare a water supply watershed management strategy for Pottle Lake.

General

The committee will:

Review and make recommendations on all activities affecting the SWP area as requested by the Utility, CBRM, and communities in the area.
From time to time request individuals or groups to inform the committee on matters affecting the SWPP area.
Review and comment on water quality and quantity monitoring programs and other studies related to the SWPP area. All water quality information available from member agencies shall be made available to the committee.
Develop information and education programs about source water protection for local residents, land owners, and other users of the SWPP area lands.
Elect a chair and vice-chair.
Advise CBRM Council and the Director of Public Works on issues pertaining to the Pottle Lake watershed.
Welcome all landowners to attend SWPP Committee meetings as observers.
Assist in the development and implementation of a Source Water Protection Plan which will be reviewed periodically.
Assist with revisions of the regulations for the protected water area as required.
Review these Terms of Reference annually. Amend these Terms of Reference for the Pottle Lake SWPP Committee from time to time.
Address problems and solutions on matters of concern as they arise.
Advise on forest matters and other land use issues.
Develop best management practices for activities in the watershed. These best management practices will also be used to guide any approval processes for activities in the watershed.
Review and make recommendations on activities affecting the watershed area as requested by the municipality.
Provide information on committee activities to landowners in the watershed area.

Membership

Voting Members

Landowner representatives – 3 members
Commercial representative – 1 member
Councillor, CBRM – 1 member
CBRM Water Utility - 1 member
Recreation representative – 1 member
Agriculture representative – 1 member
Forestry representative – 1 member
NS TIR – 1 member

Non-Voting Members

NSDNR, Geologist – 1 member
NSDNR, Forester – 1 member
NS Environment, Watershed planner – 1 member

Operation Of Committee

The chair and vice chair of the committee shall be appointed annually by the membership at the meeting closest to April 1. Members will serve on the committee for a minimum three-year term
CBRM will provide secretarial services.
The committee will endeavour to conduct business by consensus, but should the committee be unable to attain consensual agreement on an issue, voting may be necessary. All motions require support from at least a two-thirds majority of the members present. Six committee members including a minimum of two non-government landowners and one government landowner constitute a quorum.
The committee must prepare an annual report of its activities to be distributed to all bodies represented on the committee and to other interested parties.
The chair will act as the committee spokesperson.
The committee may call for the input of other landowners in the source water supply area from time to time.
If a vacancy occurs before the yearly term is complete, then the committee will appoint a replacement for the vacancy for the interim until the year ends.
If a vacancy occurs on the committee before the end of a member’s term, the Water Utility representative will forward a notification to the residents within the Pottle Lake source water protection area before the annual general meeting and bring back to the committee the received expressions of interest. At that time, the committee will review the expressions of interest and appoint a new member to fill the vacant position on the Pottle Lake SWPP Committee.
The committee, at the discretion of the Chairperson, shall hold two meetings per year and additional meetings as required.
Full minutes of all discussions and recommendations of the committee shall be kept at the CBRM Clerk’s office.
Expenditures by the Source Water Protection Committee require prior approval from the CBRM Water Utility.

Members’ Roles

Landowners

The landowners on the SWPP Committee are in a unique position of knowing the watershed and their land in addition to their own and their neighbours’ land use practices. The landowners are encouraged to express their concerns and interests; advise and provide information to the committee on land use management and source water protection; communicate with other landowners on committee activities; and report to the committee any problems that they may encounter within the watershed.

CBRM Councillor

The councillor is responsible for representing the interests of the citizens served by the Water Utility and the watershed landowners. The Councillor will also represent the municipality’s interests as a landowner in the watershed.

Sector Representatives

Representatives for the forestry, agriculture, commercial, and recreation sectors are responsible for representing the interests of other operators within the watershed area. These individuals will review and comment on best management practices and contingency planning related to their industry or activity.

Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Representatives

The DNR representative will work with the committee providing information and advising on topics related to forestry, wildlife, geology, wetlands, and source water protection. He or she will also represent the department’s interests as a landowner in the watershed.

Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) Representative

The TIR representative will work with the committee providing information and advising on topics related to Highway 125 and general transportation issues. The representative will also represent the department’s interests as a landowner in the watershed.

Water Utility Representative

The Water Utility representative will report to the committee on activities undertaken by the municipality and any approvals in the watershed area. The representative will work with the committee providing information and advising on topics relating to source water protection, watershed management, land use, and the operation of the Water Utility. The representative will also bring concerns to the committee relating to water quality and watershed management.

Department of Environment Representatives

The NS Environment representative will work with the committee providing information and advising on topics related to source water protection, watershed management, the Environment Act, and Protected Water Area Regulations.