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The Ottawa River is the source of drinking water for many local communities. The City of Ottawa is the heaviest of these users, drawing 341 million litres of water from the river daily at the Britannia and Lemieux Island purification plants. Historically, the Ottawa River has been a transportation route for native peoples, fur traders, and the timber industry. In the 1840s, saw and grist mills were located at Chaudière Falls. This site later developed into a sprawling complex of hydroelectric plants and saw, pulp and paper, and carbide mills, all utilizing the water and exploiting the energy of the falls. Some of these industries remain in operation today. Recreation is now a major use of the river.
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