The Region of Waterloo plans to urge the province to halt the issuance of new or expanded water taking permits in the Mannheim Service Area due to ongoing capacity constraints. Regional council approved this measure during a recent meeting.
Background on Water Supply Challenges
Authorities identified water capacity limitations in the Mannheim Service Area in December 2025. Current supplies meet demands for homes and businesses in Kitchener, Waterloo, and portions of Cambridge, Wilmot Township, and Woolwich Township. However, officials express concerns over insufficient capacity to support future growth in these areas.
Details of Active Permits
Provincial records indicate 108 active water taking permits across the Region of Waterloo, authorizing up to one billion litres of water extraction daily. Within the Mannheim Service Area alone, 65 permits allow for approximately 740 million litres per day.
Council Motion and Key Concerns
Regional Coun. Joe Gowing introduced the motion to prevent further strain on the water supply. He highlighted potential risks, stating, “A lot of people are worried the current water quantity that we have can service what we have, but if we run into any type of accident within our Manheim area and we lose any of our groundwater, we’re going to be in a mess.” Gowing added an analogy from a public delegate: “You can put as many straws as you want into this glass of water in front of me, but if it’s not recharging fast enough, it’s gonna deplete.”
The motion also requests ongoing communication between the province and affected municipalities regarding new, amended, or renewed permits. It calls for written responses to municipal feedback before final decisions and notifications to the region upon application submissions and permit approvals.
Exemptions for Residential Users
Regional solicitor Fiona McCrea assured councillors that the measure targets large-scale extractions and does not impact property owners with existing wells or those seeking to install residential ones. “My initial reaction is that the permit to take water is for larger water takings than what would be required for a residential well,” she explained. “The approval process for that would not be a permit to take water.”
