Orangeville residents have a chance to shape how their drinking water is protected. The Credit Valley Source Protection Authority is asking for public input on proposed changes to local water safety rules in Orangeville, Ontario.
The updates would add a new well, Well 13, to the town’s drinking water system. Officials say the well will help meet today’s water needs and support the community as it grows. A public drop-in session is set for Thursday, August 13, 2026, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre at 6 Northmen Way. People can also send written comments until August 31, 2026.
Orangeville gets all its drinking water from 12 wells that pull from underground sources called aquifers. The proposed changes include updates to water budgets, risk assessments, and maps that show areas around wells where contamination could be a problem. These maps are called wellhead protection areas, and they help decide what activities can happen near water supplies.
This consultation follows a 2011 study that found significant stress on the area’s groundwater. Some wells are at risk because pumping and drought conditions could use more water than is naturally replaced. The study highlighted a local zone that includes Orangeville wells and others in nearby Mono and Amaranth. The Credit Valley Source Protection Authority says updating the rules now is key to keeping the water supply safe as the town adds the new well.
Orangeville also has three areas where sodium and chloride levels are rising in some wells. New mapping shows two wells, called Wells 5 and 5A, are more open to surface contamination. The proposed changes would update protection policies to reflect these findings.
The public consultation is required under Ontario’s Clean Water Act, 2006. The law was created after the Walkerton tragedy, where seven people died and thousands got sick from contaminated water in 2000. Now, communities must work together on local plans to protect drinking water sources. The law says a Source Protection Authority can suggest plan changes after talking with the Source Protection Committee and both agree the changes are a good idea.
Residents who want to learn more or share concerns can attend the August 13 session. Staff will be at the sports centre on Northmen Way to answer questions and take feedback. Written comments can be sent directly to the Credit Valley Source Protection Authority until the end of August.
