The City of Burlington has the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO world biosphere reserve, in our backyard and Lake Ontario in our front yard. It's our responsibility to maintain these invaluable natural resources for future generations.
We have several water related programs with our local, regional, provincial and federal government partners to ensure our water is drinkable, swimmable and fishable for generations to come.
Drinking water
Halton Region is responsible for protecting and treating Burlington's drinking water. They monitor our water to make sure that it's safe and readily available.
Tap water or bottled water?
Our tap water is safe to drink and is a more inexpensive, convenient and sustainable way to drink. Our Thirsty Campaign restricts the sale of bottled water in City facilities to encourage people to refill reusable bottles with tap water.
Well water
Learn how to keep your drinking water safe if you live in a rural area with access to well water.
Beach water monitoring results
Halton Region monitors public beaches to help ensure safe water quality for swimmers. Find beach water monitoring results and learn about testing procedures and how you can help keep our beaches clean for everyone's enjoyment.
Pool and hot tub maintenance
Both saltwater and chlorinated pools and hot tubs contain chemicals that keep them clean and safe. However, these chemicals are harmful to fish and organisms that live in the creeks across Burlington and Lake Ontario. There are different ways you need to manage and drain chlorinated and saltwater pools and hot tubs.
Chlorinated pool and hot tub drainage |
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Follow these instructions for draining chlorinated water from your pool or hot tub:
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Saltwater pool and hot tub drainage |
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You must always drain saltwater to the sanitary sewer due to the high level of chlorides. Report any spill if the saltwater has gone into a stream, river, lake or storm sewer system. Follow these instructions for draining saltwater from your pool or hot tub:
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Pool and hot tub drainage tips
In addition, please follow these tips to safely drain your pool and hot tub water:
- Don't add chemicals to your pool or hot tub for one week or longer before draining. Draining chlorinated water into the storm sewer are harmful to fish and organisms that live in Burlington's creeks and Lake Ontario.
- Never drain your pool or hot tub water on a rainy day because it will make it harder for your lawn to absorb the water and will overwhelm the storm sewer system
- Never drain into a ravine. It can cause erosion and kill vegetation
- Dispose of expired or leftover pool chemicals properly. Take them to the Halton Waste Management Site
Water conservation
Halton Region provides water conservation programs and resources. Their Outdoor Water Use program limits outdoor water use in the summer months if necessary during extended periods of hot, dry weather. Check out other ways you can conserve water and improve water efficiency in your household.
Randle Reef cleanup on Burlington Bay
Due to industrial and urban development, the Hamilton Harbour, also known as Burlington Bay, was identified as an area of concern in 1985 under the Canada-United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement due to poor water quality. As part of the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan, the Randle Reef Project is working to clean up the industrial corner of the harbour.
Located in the southwest corner of the harbour, Randle Reef is about 60 hectares in size. Sediment at the site is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and other chemicals and is described as a "spill in slow motion." We are working with our federal and provincial partners, the City of Hamilton, Halton Region, the Hamilton Port Authority and U.S. Steel Canada to clean up Randle Reef. Learn more about the Randle Reef Project.
Educational resources and programs
Check out our environmental programs to find water related educational programs for students.
Learn ways you can minimize stormwater pollution and reduce your flooding risk with Take Action Burlington's educational blog posts:
- Reduce your risk of flooding with these programs
- Halton Children’s Water Festival – A successful return
- City Council approves Climate Resilient Burlington: A Plan for Adapting to Our Warmer, Wetter and Wilder Weather
- Eco-friendly tips to maintain your pool, hot tub and spa this summer
- Help keep our creeks and lakes clean
- Let’s work together to maintain healthy creek systems
- Flush only the three P’s … poop, pee and toilet paper!
Stormwater
Stormwater comes from rain, snowmelt or excess water from residential and commercial properties. This water is discharged into Lake Ontario from different drainage channels throughout the city. Learn how our stormwater management reduces the risk of flooding by properly managing these drainage channels.
View Stormwater Management Projects
Stormwater safety
Stormwater ponds are designed to collect excess stormwater and can be dangerous. Learn more about stormwater safety around these ponds.
Flooding and erosion threats
Excess stormwater can cause flooding. Learn how to avoid flooding and what to do if it happens by visiting our Home Flood Prevention page.
Learn about the dangers of flooding and erosion of our natural landscapes.
Stormwater vs. wastewater
Wastewater is water that has been used in a household for washing and flushing, or in a manufacturing process. Because it contains waste products, wastewater is treated in a sanitary sewer system before being safely discharged back into Lake Ontario. Unlike wastewater, stormwater is discharged directly into Lake Ontario without being treated. Our Yellow Fish Road program educates the public about the impact of pollution entering our storm drains and how we can reduce it.
Stormwater drainage systems
Our city infrastructure provides stormwater drainage in two types of interconnected systems.
Minor system |
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The minor drainage system is made up of:
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Major system |
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The major drainage system, also known as overland flow routes, includes:
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