MARDEN – Much like their peers in Puslinch, Guelph/Eramosa councillors are a bit leery of the City of Guelph’s search for new water sources in neighbouring townships.
On April 19, Guelph/Eramosa council received an update from Kyle Davis, risk management official with Wellington County, on the City of Guelph’s need for additional water sources outside of its municipal boundary.
The city is currently updating its water supply master plan, which it does every five years or so, and is looking for alternate sources of water to accommodate anticipated growth.
City staff and consultants presented an update on the plan to Guelph/Eramosa council in October with council’s main concern at the time being the township wasn’t consulted earlier in the process.
Following the meeting in the fall, township staff provided comments to the city and a series of meetings with city staff were initiated to address them.
On Tuesday Davis told council that in addition to staff, the township’s hydrogeology consultant R.J Burnside had prepared comments regarding the city’s water supply master plan to be submitted to city staff.
R.J. Burnside recommended the city conduct additional research given that its draft plan doesn’t consider new growth within the county.
During the meeting, councillors also expressed concerns over how the city’s master plan could affect the municipality.
Councillor Mark Bouwmeester acknowledged there are many technical aspects that need to be looked at when it comes to wellhead protection.
“Certainly there’s municipal interest so if that’s employment lands or private wells, we have to look after that,” he said, noting if that means more studies are needed to get that information, “then so be it.
“I think with what you’ve written up … our interests are protected and essentially if the city has to pay to do more studies and move forward to see if there’s no impact on wellhead protection areas or on employment lands that’s the way it’s got to be.”
Councillor Corey Woods took issue with the municipalities sticking to their respective “box.”
“[In] Guelph/Eramosa we have our box, the City of Guelph has their box,” he said.
“Put a well in your box; don’t come in our box, stay in your box.”
Woods added, “There may be some options to potentially partner with the City of Guelph but that’s a long way down the road.”
He said the City of Guelph has many water options and that while some may be contaminated, they are treatable.
“They don’t necessarily want to treat it, some of them are contaminated but they are treatable,” Woods noted.
“If they can treat a well in Centre Wellington, they can treat a well in the City of Guelph.”
He stressed his preference would be to have municipalities remain in their respective boundaries and not encroach on neighbouring townships.
“Obviously water knows no municipal boundaries but we have shared interests and we have our interests,” said Mayor Chris White.
“It’s a limited resource and we all have needs.”
White noted the township doesn’t want to find itself in a scenario where some of its limited industrial lands are impacted by something that’s going on in the city if it can find a way to get around that.
“It’s not really reasonable to have us frozen out to accommodate that,” he explained.
“That said, I think the city’s aware of that and they’ve got some options and we’re glad they’re talking with us and working with us.
“They’re our regional partner, we have to work with the city but we have to make sure our folks are taken care of as well.”
Council passed a resolution to receive Guelph’s water supply master plan report and to submit to the city comments prepared by R.J Burnside as well as a township staff report.
