North Huron’s Paul Heffer joins local source protection committee as municipal representative
The Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Source Protection Committee (SPC) has welcomed its newest municipal member. As the new Central Grouping municipal representative, Paul Heffer represents the Township of North Huron; the Municipality of Huron East; and the Municipality of Morris-Turnberry, filling the position formerly held by long-time member David Blaney from Huron East.
Paul Heffer and his wife Gail have lived in Wingham for 40 years where they have raised three daughters.
“We have enjoyed having safe, potable drinking water which makes sitting on this committee very meaningful,” he said.
Paul Heffer is a Wingham resident and Township of North Huron councillor. “Working in the agriculture sector for more than 40 years, I got to realize how important water is to every farmer,” he said.
The SPC creates local source protection plans that are approved by the Province of Ontario. The planning policies manage risk from 22 potential threats to drinking water such as fuel, chemicals, salt, waste oil, nutrients, pesticides and other activities near municipal wells. These policies protect our residential drinking water sources as one of several barriers of defence that keep our water safe and clean.
Matt Pearson, SPC Chair, welcomed the new municipal representative who attended his first video conferencing meeting on November 25. With David Blaney able to attend remotely from his new home in Pembroke, Chair Pearson thanked David, once again, for his years of service to the committee and wished him well in his future endeavours.
There are 12 members of the source protection committee. The 2020 committee includes Chair Matt Pearson and the following members: Municipal – Allan Rothwell (East); Paul Heffer (Central); Myles Murdock (North); Dave Frayne (South West); Economic – Rowland Howe (Industry); Philip Keightley (Commerce); Bert Dykstra (Agriculture); Mary Ellen Foran (Agriculture); Other – John Graham (Environment); Jennette Walker (Environment); Ian Brebner (Property Owner); and Alyssa Keller (Public-at-Large).
Committee members are working on a new series of videos to help people understand more about their drinking water. In the first video, Alyssa Keller, water operator at the Seaforth water treatment plant, takes you on a virtual tour. You may watch the Seaforth Open Well video now at
To find out more visit the source protection region website at sourcewaterinfo.on.ca
Paul Heffer, New SPC Member
David Blaney, Retiring SPC Member
