Sarnia has endorsed a plan for a new water intake in Lake Huron that will expand environmental protection zones across the city’s eastern boundaries.
Sarnia City Council has endorsed proposed amendments to the Thames-Sydenham Source Protection Plan to accommodate a new water intake for the Town of Petrolia. The existing intake, which has reached the end of its service life, will be replaced by a new structure built in approximately the same location in Lake Huron.
The move triggers changes to the city’s Intake Protection Zones (IPZ), which are regulated areas designed to protect municipal drinking water from contamination. While the score of the intake remains low, meaning there are no “significant” new threats identified, the new modelling will extend protection zones further south of Highway 402 and further east within Sarnia’s municipal limits.
The updated zones include discretionary policies for the maintenance and inspection of septic systems and pesticide permits. Councillor Terry Burrell questioned why detailed maps were not provided in the main agenda package, though staff noted they were available through digital links in the online report.
The endorsement allows the project to move into the public consultation phase. Feedback from the public will be considered by the Source Protection Committee in June 2026 before final submission to the provincial government.
