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2023 Shoal Lake water quality test results

Image of Shoal Lake inletOur staff test Shoal Lake and the intake at the west end of Indian Bay (where the water enters the aqueduct) as part of our routine water quality testing program.

For more information on Winnipeg's drinking water and our impact on Shoal Lake, visit the web page on Shoal Lake - Our Water Source.

Testing

We take samples at the intake every week during the open water season and every two weeks during the rest of the year. We also take samples from the Shoal Lake watershed from May to October. We test the intake samples for:

  • routine water chemistry
  • metals
  • disinfection by-products
  • bacteria and protozoa
  • pesticides, herbicides and PCBs

By taking these samples, we track seasonal changes in water quality and determine the effects (if any) of human activity within the Shoal Lake watershed.

Water entering the aqueduct intake passes through screens before being treated by chlorine on a periodic basis for slime and Zebra mussel control. The aqueduct brings water to Deacon Reservoir before entering the Water Treatment Plant. There, we test both the raw and treated water before the water is distributed to Winnipeg homes and businesses.

Test results are from January 1 to December 31, 2023

What is being measured How it's measured Shoal Lake average Shoal Lake range
Miscellaneous
Carbon, Dissolved Organic parts per million 8.8 7.3 to 10.1
Carbon, Total Organic parts per million 8.9 7.0 to 11.0
Chlorophyll-a parts per billion 4.3 <1.0 to 8.0
Colour, Apparent TCU 15.6 12.0 to 20.0
Colour, True TCU 9.7 7.5 to 12.0
Conductivity microsiemens per centimetre 157 145 to 174
Odour units 90 75 to 150
pH units 8.05 7.59 to 8.70
Plankton (algae) count cells/mL 14,257 <100 to 62,830
Solids, Total parts per million 105 98 to 114
Solids, Total Dissolved parts per million 87 68 to 104
Temperature degrees Celcius 11.2 2.4 to 24.0
Turbidity (clearness) NTU 0.87 0.18 to 3.03
Anions and Nutrients
Alkalinity, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate 75.5 67.8 to 82.9
Hardness, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate 78.6 70.2 to 95.2
Chloride parts per million 2.2 1.5 to 2.8
Fluoride parts per million 0.07 0.07 to 0.08
Nitrate Nitrogen parts per million 0.042 0.011 to 0.082
Perchlorate parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Phosphorus, Total Reactive parts per million 0.0023 <0.0010 to 0.0118
Phosphorus, Total parts per million <0.02 <0.02 to 0.04
Sulphate parts per million <0.4 <0.4 to 0.4
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) parts per million 0.52 0.45 to 0.63
Bacteria
Escherichia Coli MPN per 100 mL 2 <1 to 8
Total Coliforms MPN per 100 mL 94 <1 to >200
Disinfection By-Products
Haloacetic acids parts per billion <1.2 <1.2 to <1.2
Trihalomethanes parts per billion <2.7 <2.7 to <2.7
Enteric Protozoa
Cryptosporidium oocysts per 100 L <0.1 <0.1 to <0.1
Giardia cysts per 100 L <0.1 <0.1 to <0.1
Pesticides
Alachlor parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Aldrin parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
alpha-HCH parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
alpha-Chlordane parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
alpha-Endosulfan parts per billion <0.0070 <0.0070 to <0.0070
Atrazine parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Azinphos-methyl parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
beta-HCH parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
beta-Endosulfan parts per billion <0.0070 <0.0070 to <0.0070
Carbaryl parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Carbofuran parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Chlorpyrifos parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
delta-HCH parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
Diazinon parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Diclofop-methyl parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Dieldrin parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
Dimethoate parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Endrin parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Eptam parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
gamma-Chlordane parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
Heptachlor parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
Heptachlor Epoxide parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
Lindane (gamma-HCH) parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
Malathion parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Methoxychlor parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
Methyl Parathion parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Metribuzin parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Mirex parts per billion <0.0080 <0.0080 to <0.0080
o,p-DDD parts per billion <0.0040 <0.0040 to <0.0040
o,p-DDE parts per billion <0.0040 <0.0040 to <0.0040
o,p-DDT parts per billion <0.0040 <0.0040 to <0.0040
p,p-DDD parts per billion <0.0040 <0.0040 to <0.0040
p,p-DDE parts per billion <0.0040 <0.0040 to <0.0040
p,p-DDT parts per billion <0.0040 <0.0040 to <0.0040
Parathion parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Propaclor parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Propanil parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Propoxur parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Simazine parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Terbufos parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Triallate parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Trichlopyr parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
Trifluralin parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Arochlor 1016 parts per billion <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020
Arochlor 1221 parts per billion <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020
Arochlor 1232 parts per billion <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020
Arochlor 1242 parts per billion <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020
Arochlor 1248 parts per billion <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020
Arochlor 1254 parts per billion <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020
Arochlor 1260 parts per billion <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020
Phenoxy Acid Herbicides
2,4,5-T parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
2,4,5-TP parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
2,4-D parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
2,4-DB parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
2,4-DP parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
Bromoxynil parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
Dicamba parts per billion <1.0 <0.010 to <1.0
Dinoseb parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
MCPA parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
MCPB parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
Mecoprop parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
Picloram parts per billion <1.0 <0.10 to <1.0
Total Metals
Aluminum parts per million 0.00467 0.00097 to 0.01358
Antimony parts per million 0.000071 <0.000025 to 0.000168
Arsenic parts per million 0.000907 0.000636 to 0.001104
Boron parts per million 0.01079 0.00788 to 0.01329
Cadmium parts per million <0.000007 <0.000007 to <0.000007
Calcium parts per million 19.890 17.303 to 24.924
Chromium parts per million <0.00004 <0.00004 to 0.00012
Chromium VI parts per million <0.00050 <0.00050 to 0.00064
Copper parts per million 0.001716 0.000613 to 0.005230
Iron parts per million 0.03523 0.01213 to 0.07318
Lead parts per million 0.000099 <0.000065 to 0.000541
Magnesium parts per million 5.973 5.450 to 7.285
Manganese parts per million 0.00907 0.00204 to 0.02812
Mercury parts per billion <0.0050 <0.0050 to <0.0050
Nickel parts per million 0.000206 <0.000021 to 0.000308
Potassium parts per million 1.244 1.083 to 1.465
Sodium parts per million 2.245 1.997 to 2.737
Uranium parts per million 0.000044 <0.000032 to 0.000123
Zinc parts per million 0.00160 0.00023 to 0.01039

Note: Where value is expressed as less than (<), the value is halved and used in the calculations, where value is expressed as (>), the value is used in the calculations.

Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality do not apply to Shoal Lake

Last updated: May 9, 2024

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