Water and sewer systems
The Town of Sutton is responsible for operating and maintaining its water and sewer system, through which it provides municipal drinking water supply and wastewater treatment services to connected properties. This includes regularly monitoring the quality of drinking water and ensuring the proper treatment of wastewater.
Drinking water: two water supply systems in Sutton
Two separate water supply systems provide the town with drinking water, while homes that are not connected to the municipal network rely on their own wells.
- Drinking water supply from the Academy well for the Village sector, serving approximately 1,500 people;
- Drinking water supply from mountain water in the Mountain sector, serving approximately 3,500 people.
Annual review of the quality of drinking water
Every year, by March 31, the Town of Sutton submits its report on drinking water quality for the period from January 1 to December 31 of the previous year.
As confirmed by its reports, the Town ensures that it meets all ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques (MELCC)’s requirements governing drinking water quality. See below for the data on the drinking water distribution systems for the mountain and town sectors, as well as the well of the gushing spring on the road 215.
Annual reports
Mountain sector
Annual reports
Spring on Highway 215
Annual reports
Town sector
Protection of Drinking Water Sources
An Essential Duty of Protection
Protecting water sources* is a fundamental municipal responsibility to ensure the quantity, sustainability, and quality of drinking water distributed in our two supply sectors: the Village sector (groundwater supplying the Academy well) and the Mountain sector (surface water supplying the Réal and Mud Pond reservoirs).
The Town of Sutton regularly conducts rigorous analyses of the quality of the drinking water it supplies to the areas it serves.
*The term “source” refers to untreated raw water that is used to produce drinking water.
Drinking Water Source Protection Plan
The Plan de protection des sources d'eau potable (Drinking Water Source Protection Plan (PPS) is the logical follow-up to vulnerability assessments. It aims to define the protective measures to be put in place to counter and minimize the potential threats identified in the vulnerability assessments. The plan ensures the long-term quantity and quality of drinking water distributed by the water supply service.
The Town of Sutton's Drinking Water Source Protection Plan was produced with financial support from the Quebec government's Program for the Development of Drinking Water Source Protection Plans (PEPPSEP).
Water Source Vulnerability Analyses
The Water Withdrawal and Protection Regulation, adopted in July 2014, imposes obligations on those responsible for water withdrawals, including the obligation to conduct a vulnerability analysis of their withdrawal site.
This process allows the person responsible for a surface water or groundwater withdrawal to highlight the weaknesses, problems and threats that affect their drinking water supply. It helps to identify priorities for action to reduce threats or to develop an appropriate contingency plan.
A report must be submitted every five years to assess the vulnerability of groundwater and surface water, based on sampling and analysis carried out by professionals.
Groundwater – Village – 2020-2025 (in French only)
Surface water - Mountain - 2020-2025 (in French only)
Information
Flushing of the water mains
Each year, the Town of Sutton must maintain the water mains network by carrying out a one-way flushing, which generally begins in mid-April and ends in July. This process eliminates deposits in the pipes, which ensures the quality of drinking water in the long term and the proper functioning of the infrastructure (hydrants, valves, pipes, valves, etc.). It is important to mention that the flushing is done by sector, which explains why the operations are spread out over several weeks.
The process could temporarily cause cloudy to yellowish water. In this case, simply run the cold water, preferably from your bathtub faucet, until it becomes clear. It is not recommended to wash clothes during this period. The use of bleach during this period may stain clothing.
To personally receive information about flushing periods
Sign up for Mass alert and notification system CITAM to receive rinse dates in your area via text message (SMS), email or voice message. Flushing times will also be posted on the Town’s website and Facebook page.
Do you have a pressure reducing valve at home?
Although the water pressure in the water system is controlled, it is not impossible for pressure variations to occur. The purpose of a pressure reducing valve is to reduce the water pressure in your pipes when the pressure from the water system is too high. Too much water pressure can cause damage to your appliances (washing machine, water heater, etc.), as well as premature wear and tear on the pipes in your home.
Please note that, in accordance with our Bylaw 217 on the use of drinking water, the installation of a pressure reducer with a pressure gauge is mandatory for existing homes and new constructions in the mountain sector and, when the pressure at the point of connection is equal to or greater than 525 kPa, for all other homes connected to the water system.
Wastewater treatment: from sewers to aerated ponds
The Town of Sutton operates two wastewater treatment systems:
- a treatment plant at the municipal garage for the Village and Mountain sectors;
- a treatment plant in Sutton Junction.
The Town of Sutton’s sewer system carries all wastewater by gravity to a wastewater lift station located near the municipal garage at the southern exit of the town.
This wastewater is pumped through a system of four aerated lagoons with a total volume of 40,000 m³. The treatment process involves the biological breakdown of fecal and other organic matter by naturally occurring bacteria in the lagoons, which are heavily aerated to supply the oxygen needed for bacterial activity. In addition, phosphate is removed at the end of the process through chemical precipitation.
Throughout the process, specific parameters are monitored and analyzed at the beginning and end of treatment to ensure purification performance and the quality of the wastewater before it is released into the environment, specifically into the receiving watercourse, the Sutton River. Monthly monitoring and an annual report are submitted and recorded with the Ministry of the Environment, which oversees these operations.
The main parameters monitored in effluent quality include the amount of biological and chemical matter, suspended solids, fecal coliforms, phosphorus in the form of phosphate, pH, nitrogen in the form of ammonia nitrogen, and alkalinity. Very strict provincial discharge standards must be met based on the characteristics of the receiving environment.
These analyses are carried out by qualified Town staff and submitted for approval to an accredited laboratory.