Water Supply Strategy

Project Overview

As residents and business owners in Waterloo Region, we are fortunate to know we can turn on our taps and expect clean, quality water. The Region of Waterloo is updating the Water Supply Strategy to ensure a safe, secure, and sustainable water supply through to 2051.

This project will identify short- and long-term recommendations for the Region’s Integrated Urban System, which includes over 80 groundwater wells and a limited supply from the Grand River supplying drinking water to Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, and some communities in North Dumfries, Wilmot, and Woolwich. The Water Supply Strategy Update will build on previous master plans and will review current water supply sources, assess future water demands, and investigate possible new water sources to accommodate the Region’s population and employment growth projections to 2051. The project will consider a range of technical, environmental, social, and economic factors to evaluate potential options and identify a preferred approach for an updated strategy.

Project Objectives

The project objectives include, but are not limited to, the following:

Update the 2015 Water Supply Master Plan and develop a strategy to balance the need for additional supply sources due to growth, with greater water efficiency methods.
Comply with regulations and policies regarding water quality and identify opportunities to prepare for anticipated changes in the future.
Undertake a planning process to meet the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for Master Plans.
Review assets to optimize existing systems and consider the age and condition of current assets.
Identify the criteria for initiating new, upgraded, or expanded infrastructure and operational changes to ensure water efficiency.
Consider resource demands (money and staff) to adequately develop and operate larger more complex systems required to serve the community.
Create a strategy that reflects the needs and values of the community through meaningful engagement and communications.

Community Engagement

Public meeting #1 — December 4, 2024, 7 p.m.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our public meeting. You asked some great questions!

Click the + Follow button above for all updates and engagement opportunities.

Water Supply Strategic Update

Closed

Please share your comments and ideas to help us review and make decisions about water supply out to 2051.

This survey will be available until January 5, 2025. We look forward to hearing from you.

What is important to you as we consider our water supply to 2051?

What new elements of the criteria, or new criteria should we include?

Have we missed anything on the criteria?

Yes

Please add your question about the criteria.

When we evaluate water supply options, we will group the evaluation criteria under the four categories below. Please rank these categories from 1–4, based on what you think is important for the community, with 1 being most important.

Social #
Environmental #
Technical #
Financial #

Do you have any other comments or feedback?

We’ve drafted criteria that we will use to evaluate water supply options. Review the criteria list. Do you have any questions or need clarification about the draft evaluation criteria?

Yes

Documents

FAQs

Where do we get our drinking water?

Key Dates

Project Launched - Fall 2022

Lifecycle

Timeline item 1 - active

Stage 1: Sustainable Water Supply
- Identify key issues and opportunities for water efficiency, conservation and understanding of future water needs in Waterloo Region.
- Public Meeting #1 and Online Survey: Learn about the project and provide input on your priorities for the WSSU.
Timeline item 2 - incomplete

Stage 2: Decision Making Framework
- Develop methods and criteria for evaluating potential supply options.
Timeline item 3 - incomplete

Stage 3: Identifying Alternatives
- Identify options for a more efficient system, managing demand, and developing new supply sources.
- Public Meeting #2: Participate in discussions regarding potential options for managing water supply.
Timeline item 4 - incomplete

Stage 4: Developing a Holistic Approach to our Water System
- Evaluate alternatives and identify a preferred strategy.
- Public Meeting #3 & Online Survey: Provide feedback on the evaluation scoring.
Timeline item 5 - incomplete

Stage 5: Recommended Strategy
- Optimize the recommendations and implementation approach.
- Master Plan posted on EngageWR: Public review and comment on the recommended strategy

Who's Listening

Nicole Sapeta

Senior Engineer, Water and Wastewater Services, Region of Waterloo

Phone: 226-750-4521

Email: nsapeta@regionofwaterloo.ca

Notice of collection

All comments and information provided become part of the review process and are being collected to assist the Region of Waterloo in completing the Water Supply Strategy Update. All submissions will become part of the public record files for this matter. Personal information collected is under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001 and in compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990. Questions about the collection of personal information should be directed to Nicole Sapeta, Senior Engineer, Water and Wastewater Services, nsapeta@regionofwaterloo.ca or 519-575-4400 (TTY 519-575-4608).