City of Barrie celebrates Drinking Water Week

The City of Barrie is celebrating Drinking Water Week from May 3 to May 9 to highlight not only the essential role of drinking water but the infrastructure and water professionals that make it possible to distribute and use on a daily basis.

Barrie water operations staff are providing free tours of the Surface Water Treatment Plant at 20 Royal Parkside Drive on May 6 qt 10:30 a.m. ET and 1:30 P.m. ET. Tours last approximately one hour. Tours will also be available on August 12 and October. 21.

City staff also hosted a pop-up event at the Barrie Public Library on May 2 and will host a second event at East Bayfield Community Centre on Thursday, May 7.

“Barrie draws water from both groundwater and surface water sources. The distribution system, consisting of approximately 4,200 hydrants and 695 km of watermain, reliably provides safe drinking water to the community. In 2025, the City produced approximately 14,946 megalitres of drinking water,” a City of Barrie release said.

Barrie’s water is thoroughly treated, regularly tested, and monitored 24/7 to ensure it consistently meets the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, the release added.