Emergency Alerts

In consultation with Grey Bruce Public Health, the City of Owen Sound’s precautionary boil water advisory has been lifted, effective immediately. 

The precautionary boil water advisory for the City of Owen Sound has been lifted based on an engineering assessment, conducted by Public Health Ontario and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), confirming adequate disinfection of the water. This confirms the water is safe to drink.

The City of Owen Sound water system users remain under a precautionary boil water advisory.  A dedicated page on the City’s website at OwenSound.ca/BoilWaterAdvisory has been created and will continue to be updated regularly.

Thank you to residents and water users for continuing to be diligent and patient in their efforts to practise safe water consumption, water conservation, and sharing updates with neighbours. 

Is there bottled water available for residents?  When will this be over? Click here for answers to these questions.

The City of Owen Sound water system users remain under a precautionary boil water advisory, as issued in the evening of Saturday, March 14. This is a precautionary measure due to high levels of turbidity (cloudiness in the water) observed at the water treatment plant. High levels of turbidity can interfere with disinfection, which is one component of water treatment. The water currently continues to meet all other quality and testing standards. 

Residents and water users are also asked to continue to conserve water use where possible. We want to thank residents for their patience and efforts so far in following the precautionary boil water advisory and reducing water use, those actions are helping support the system while conditions stabilize.

Over the past 24 hours, staff have noted that turbidity levels are improving. The City continues to monitor the water quality closely with increased testing and is working with Grey Bruce Public Health to ensure appropriate mitigation measures are in place. 

This update includes reminders and frequently asked questions relating to water use reduction and the boil water advisory (click to see).  The City will be creating a page on the City website which will be live Monday March 16 dedicated to this issue.  The frequently asked questions and responses will be updated daily and will also include links to the Grey Bruce Public Health’s public drinking water webpage, which includes Boil Water fact sheets, like this general one. 

As advised by Grey Bruce Public Health, the City of Owen Sound has issued a precautionary boil water advisory for all residents and consumers using the municipal water system. This is a precautionary measure due to high levels of turbidity (cloudiness in the water) observed at the water treatment plant. High levels of turbidity can interfere with disinfection, which is one component of water treatment. The water currently continues to meet all other quality and testing standards. 

While the precautionary boil water advisory is in place, please bring all water to a rolling boil for one (1) minute before using it for drinking, preparing food or beverages, making ice cubes, washing fruits and vegetables, or brushing teeth. This is particularly important for young children, older adults and people who are immuno-compromised to protect their health.  

In addition to boiling water, the City of Owen Sound is asking all residents, as well as anyone who lives or works in a building connected to the City’s water system, to reduce their water use. This request will aid in required remedial actions.

Due to the impact of current and forecast weather conditions on the City’s road and sidewalk infrastructure, the City of Owen Sound has declared a Significant Weather Event that will remain in effect until further notice.

The declaration of a significant weather event is not a notice of a reduced level of service or a road closure. It is intended to notify the public that caution must be observed when travelling on city-maintained roads. Restoring the roads to optimal conditions may take longer than usual.

Only essential travel is advised. Travel on municipal roads and sidewalks maintained by the City of Owen Sound requires extra caution during a declared Significant Weather Event. All municipal streets and sidewalks are in a “state of repair” until an end to the significant weather event is announced.