FAQs
About 20 percent of Waterloo Region's drinking water is from the Grand River. Water from the Grand River goes through a multi-step treatment process at the Mannheim Water Treatment Plant. Before entering the distribution system, the treated water from the Grand River is mixed with groundwater from nearby wells.
About 80 percent of Waterloo Region's drinking water is groundwater. Municipal wells throughout Waterloo Region extract the groundwater. To build a well, a pipe is placed in a drilled hole. A pump at the bottom of the well helps to push the groundwater to the top of the well. Groundwater requires less treatment than surface water, but it is sometimes filtered to remove iron and manganese, minerals found naturally in aquifers.
Where do we get our drinking water?
In Waterloo Region, there are two sources for drinking water - the Grand River and groundwater wells.
The blend of surface water and groundwater varies within Waterloo Region based on specific location and operational factors such as well maintenance, so percentages are approximate.