North East Water Supply Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study

The City of Guelph population is projected to grow significantly, as outlined in the City’s Official Plan Amendment 80. The City is committed to managing population growth as it continues to develop strategies for ensuring adequate water supply.

The 2022 Water Supply Master Plan (WSMP) has shown that the City must increase its water supply to meet future demand and to make the water system more reliable. As outlined in the WSMP as “Project Number 5: Develop well in the area of the Logan and Fleming Test Wells”, development of existing municipal test wells is important for us when looking for new water supply. We are commencing a study to consider alternative solutions to increase its groundwater supply, ensure a reliable water source, and meet the expected demands in 2051 that will require more than more than 12,000 m³/day of water supply added to our existing drinking water system.

North East Water Supply environmental assessment area

The process and timelines

This project will follow the Schedule B Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (2024, as amended), which is an approved Class of Environmental Assessment under the Environmental Assessment Act. The project timeline is as follows:

• Summer 2024 to Fall 2025: Baseline monitoring events for surface water and groundwater
• September 4 to October 4, 2024: 30-day Pumping Test of Logan Test Well
• February 25 2025: Notice of commencement for the Environmental Assessment
• May 12  2025: Open house #1
• April-August 2025: Evaluation of alternative solutions from the Environmental Assessment and preparation of the Preliminary Design
• November 10, 2025: Open house #2
• January 2026: Submission of draft technical report to Regulator Agencies for review.
• Winter 2026: Agency and municipality workshop
• Spring 2026: Project File Report to be available
• Summer 2026: Notice of Completion

Have your say

Your feedback is an important part of the Class Environmental Assessment. We will engage online and in person with:

• Indigenous peoples with ties to Guelph (e.g., First Nation, Métis, Inuit, and mixed ancestry People)
• Residents
• Other interested persons

We will reach out for related conversations and engagement when and where appropriate to ensure meaningful dialogue. We will use feedback to inform the opportunity and challenge statement, alternatives, evaluation criteria and recommended solution(s).

Technical work will begin before we formally engage with the public, so please check back regularly for upcoming opportunities by visiting haveyoursay.guelph.ca.

The first open house for the project took place on May 12, 2025. The second open house is scheduled for November 10, 2025. The public commenting period for the second open house will be open from November 10 to December 8, 2025.

Open house #2 will occur on Monday November 10, 2025, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (drop in format), which will be held at the Rockmosa Older Adults Centre, in Rockwood.

Date: Monday,  November 10, 2025
Time: 6:00 p.m.– 8:00 p.m.
Location: Rockmosa Older Adults Centre, 121 Rockmosa Dr, Rockwood

The process

The study is being planned as a Schedule “B” Project under the Municipal Engineers Association’s Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) process.  The Class EA process will provide members of the public and interested parties with opportunities to provide input at key stages of the study. The Class EA process will further define the problem (the need for additional water supply) and its causes, consider and evaluate alternative solutions to the problem, assess the potential impacts of the preferred solution, and identify measures to lessen potential adverse impacts.

Resources

• 2019 Water Supply Master Plan Update
• Water Supply Master Plan update (2022)
• City’s Official Plan Amendment 80

For more information

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact the project team below: