News
City and quarry owners reach proposal to protect Guelph’s drinking water

Guelph, Ont. – The City of Guelph and the owners of the Dolime Quarry have reached a potential solution to address the city’s concerns about how operations at the quarry could affect Guelph’s drinking water.

If approved by Guelph city council and the provincial government, the proposal would see the Dolime Quarry closed early and the site revitalized into a new mixed-use residential neighbourhood, giving the city control of the quarry’s water supply, said a news release from the city.

“After years of exploring a number of solutions through mediation over the last five years this is a huge step forward,” Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie said. “We think closing the quarry early is a real win for our community because it will finally address our longstanding drinking water concerns.”

Dolime Quarry currently diverts about 11 million litres of water a day, some of which Guelph could use for its drinking water supply when it assumes control of the water. The city would also build a system to protect the ground water supply from any exposure to surface water contamination that could result from damage to the aquitard.

River Valley Developments, the owners of the quarry, would lead the revitalization of the quarry site with a new residential neighbourhood.

City council and staff are sharing this proposal with the community before council makes its decision. The city is launching a public education and engagement campaign to inform the community about the proposed solution and collect feedback. From now until the end of November residents can learn more about the proposed solution and share their opinions. Feedback will be summarized in a public report to be shared in early 2020.