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.

For more information, please contact Tim Simmonds, City Manager, at 519-376-4440 ext. 1210 or email tsimmonds@owensound.ca

Quick Facts:

• Turbidity is a measure of how cloudy water is, caused by tiny particles suspended in it rather than the water being clear. These particles can include:
  • Dirt or soil
  • Silt and clay
  • Algae
  • Organic material
  • Microorganisms
• Adults, teens, and older children can wash, bathe, or shower; however, they should avoid swallowing the water. Toddlers and infants should be sponge bathed.
• Your domestic dishwasher may not adequately disinfect the dishes.  If dishes are washed by hand, they should be washed and rinsed in hot tap water, then soaked in a dilute solution of household bleach (20 milliliters of bleach in 10 litres of water) for 1 minute, and air dried.  
• Learn more about water boil advisories at Grey Bruce Public Health - Boil Water Advisories or in the Boil Water Advisory Fact Sheet
• Learn more about water conservation at OwenSound.ca/BeWaterWise

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