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Precautionary Boil Water Advisory and Residents Asked to Temporarily Reduce Use of Water in City of Owen Sound
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.
It’s not necessary to boil tap water used for other household purposes, such as showering, laundry, bathing or washing dishes.
Drinking water directly from the tap is not recommended and could potentially result in illness.
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.
This impacts the entire City of Owen Sound as well as parts of Meaford (Village of Leith) and Georgian Bluffs who are connected to the City of Owen Sound water system.
The City of Owen Sound is monitoring the water quality closely with increased testing and working with Grey Bruce Public Health to assess the potential risk to health and ensure appropriate mitigation measures are in place.
Residents will be notified when the precautionary boil water advisory notice is lifted at OwenSound.ca/News. This will occur when the water is confirmed to be safe to consume.
Please share this information with contacts who use the municipal water system in the City of Owen Sound.
Notice to Ratepayers Regarding Water Bills
March 6, 2026: Some water bills are currently delayed and will be issued shortly. We are working on the issue and will have them available as soon as possible. Bills will be due 21 days after mailout day; ratepayers will not be charged a penalty if paid within this timeframe. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this issue.
To confirm, register, or amend your information, visit Register to Vote Ontario until August 14, 2026. Our Municipal Election Day is October 26, 2026.
The River District and the City of Owen Sound are thrilled to welcome back Cars & Coffee, Concours d’Lemons, and Automotive Seminars on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
The sixth of eight Household Hazardous Waste Day events of 2025 is this Saturday, September 13! The event will be held at the Owen Sound Public Works Facility (1900 20th Street East) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The remaining schedule of Household Hazardous Waste Days in 2025 includes the following Saturdays: October 4, and October 25.
At approximately 5:00 a.m., Owen Sound Fire and Emergency Services responded to reports of heavy smoke coming from a broken second-floor window at 1005 2nd Avenue East.
Ten firefighters attended the second-alarm call and encountered residents evacuating the building. Burnt clothing was discovered in a second-floor sleeping room, and the fire was quickly extinguished using a portable fire extinguisher.
The City of Owen Sound Water and Wastewater Department is continuing the annual fire hydrant flushing program this week in Zone E. This is the last zone to be flushed, and once the work is complete, this project will be done for 2025.
Major infrastructure improvements are set to begin at the 27th Street West Sanitary Pump Station, bringing enhanced reliability and improved wastewater services to residents in the area.
The comprehensive rehabilitation project at 200 27th Street West will modernize the aging pump station infrastructure, replacing outdated equipment with state-of-the-art technology to ensure dependable service for years to come.
The City of Owen Sound is notifying the public of upcoming road interruptions due to watermain replacement construction in the vicinity of East Bayshore Road and 32nd Street East.
The City of Owen Sound will resurface twenty-two road segments in 2025. This work is scheduled to begin on Thursday, September 4, 2025. It includes adjusting of underground infrastructure, milling of existing pavement, paving with new hot mix asphalt, maintaining proper drainage, and installing new pavement markings.
The City of Owen Sound is inviting local businesses and community organizations to sponsor Free Sunday Family Skating at the Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre this fall and winter.
The Tom Thomson Art Gallery is excited to announce the return of Gallery Night at the Movies for its 28th Season. In conjunction with the Toronto International Film Festival, the TOM’s Gallery Night at the Movies is one of the TOM’s most successful and long-running programs. With a season running from September to April, the perennial film series brings the best of Canadian, foreign, and independent cinema to the area. All films are screened at the local Cineplex Theatre, Galaxy Cinemas in Owen Sound, offering a true cinematic experience with all the amenities.
Grey Bruce Public Health has lifted the swim advisory for Kelso Beach at Nawash Park after receiving test results from a new series of beach water samples that show bacterial levels have returned to within Ontario Ministry of Health guidelines for safe swimming/bathing.
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