2012 Shoal Lake water quality test results

Image of Shoal Lake inlet Our 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
taste and odour compounds
metals
disinfection by-products
bacteria and protozoa
toxins produced by algae

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.

What is being measured	How it's measured	Guideline or regulation	Shoal Lake average	Shoal Lake range	Comments
Odour	�units	Inoffensive	154	80 to 200	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Perchlorate	�parts per billion	no guideline	<0.2	<0.2 to <0.2	-
Plankton (algae) count	�cells/mL	no guideline	67,761	1,400 to 501,000	�Algae contributes to odours and may cause filter clogging�
Chlorophyll-a	parts per billion	no guideline	9	<1 to 27	�Chlorophyll is found in algae�
Cryptosporidium	oocysts per 100 L	no guideline	<1	<1 to <1	12 samples taken in 2012 - no positive results
Giardia	cysts per 100 L	no guideline	<1	<1 to <1	12 samples taken in 2012 - no positive results
Turbidity (clearness)	NTU	no guideline	1.82	0.42 to 5.04	-
Colour, True	TCU	no more than 15	3.4	2.0 to 6.5	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Total Solids	parts per million	no guideline	106	97 to 117	-
Total Dissolved Solids	parts per million	no more than 500	93	75 to 106	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Conductivity	microsiemens per centimetre	no guideline	158	143 to 181	Another measure of dissolved solids
pH	�units	between 6.5 and 8.5	8.24	7.47 to 9.01	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Temperature	degrees Celcius	no more than 15	11.6	2 to 26.0	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Total Alkalinity	parts per million as calcium carbonate	no guideline	77	68 to 88	-
Total Hardness	parts per million as calcium carbonate	between 80 and 100	78	71 to 88	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Total Organic Carbon	parts per million	no guideline	11	9 to 13	-
Dissolved Organic Carbon	parts per million	no guideline	11	9 to 13	-
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN)	parts per million	no guideline	0.61	0.47 to 0.78	TKN is a combination of ammonia and organic nitrogen
Total Phosphorus	parts per billion	no guideline	21	10 to 40	Phosphorus can contribute to algae growth
Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus	parts per billion	no guideline	4	<1 to <10	-
Fluoride	parts per million	no more than 1.5	<0.08	<0.08 to 0.09	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Nitrate Nitrogen	parts per million	no more than 10	0.006	<0.003 to 0.040	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Chloride	parts per million	no more than 250	<5	<5 to <5	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Sulphate	parts per million	no more than 500	<5	<5 to <5	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Trihalomethanes	parts per billion	no more than 100	<0.5	<0.5 to <0.5	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Bromodichloromethane	parts per billion	no more than 16	<0.5	<0.5 to <0.5	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Haloacetic acids	parts per billion	no more than 80	<5	<5 to <5	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Aldehydes	parts per billion	no guideline	2	<2 to 5	-
Carbofuran	parts per billion	no more than 90	<0.20	<0.20 to <0.20	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Propoxur	parts per billion	no more than 0.7	<0.20	<0.20 to <0.20	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Aldrin	parts per billion	no more than 0.7	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Lindane (gamma-BHC)	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
alpha-Chlordane	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
gamma-Chlordane	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
p,p-DDT	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
Dieldrin	parts per billion	no more than 0.7	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
Heptachlor	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
Heptachlor Epoxide	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
Methoxychlor	parts per billion	no more than 900	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	Raw water - guideline does not apply
alpha-BHC	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
beta-BHC	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
delta-BHC	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
p,p-DDD	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
p,p-DDE	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
o,p-DDD	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
o,p-DDE	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
o,p-DDT	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
Alpha Endosulfan	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
Beta Endosulfan	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
Endrin	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
Mirex	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
Simazine	parts per billion	no more than 10	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Alachlor	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	-
Atrazine	parts per billion	no more than 5	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Metribuzin	parts per billion	no more than 80	<0.020	<0.020 to <0.020	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Azinphosmethyl	parts per billion	no more than 20	<0.010	<0.010 to <0.010	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Chlorothalonil	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.060	<0.060 to <0.060	-
Chlorpyrifos	parts per billion	no more than 90	<0.10	<0.020 to <0.10	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Diazinon	parts per billion	no more than 20	<0.10	<0.030 to <0.10	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Dimethoate	parts per billion	no more than 20	<0.10	<0.10 to <0.10	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Malathion	parts per billion	no more than 190	<0.10	<0.10 to <0.10	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Parathion	parts per billion	no more than 50	<0.10	<0.10 to <0.10	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Terbufos	parts per billion	no more than 1	<0.10	<0.10 to <0.10	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Methyl Parathion	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.10	<0.10 to <0.10	-
2,4-D	parts per billion	no more than 100	<0.050	<0.050 to <0.050	Raw water - guideline does not apply
2,4-DB	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.050	<0.050 to <0.050	-
2,4-DP	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.050	<0.050 to <0.050	-
2,4,5-T	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.050	<0.050 to <0.050	-
2,4,5-TP	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.050	<0.050 to <0.050	-
Bromoxynil	parts per billion	no more than 5	<0.020	<0.020 to <0.020	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Dicamba	parts per billion	no more than 120	<0.0060	<0.0060 to <0.0060	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Dinoseb	parts per billion	no more than 10	<0.050	<0.050 to <0.050	Raw water - guideline does not apply
MCPA	parts per billion	no more than 100	<0.025	<0.025 to <0.025	Raw water - guideline does not apply
MCPB	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.050	<0.050 to <0.050	-
Mecoprop	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.050	<0.050 to <0.050	-
Picloram	parts per billion	no more than 190	<0.20	<0.20 to <0.20	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Trichlopyr	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.050	<0.050 to <0.050	-
Diclofop-methyl	parts per billion	no more than 9	<0.10	<0.10 to <0.10	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Eptam	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.20	<0.20 to <0.20	-
Propachlor	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.20	<0.20 to <0.20	-
Propanil	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.20	<0.20 to <0.20	-
Triallate	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.10	<0.10 to <0.10	-
Trifluralin	parts per billion	no more than 45	<0.030	<0.030 to <0.030	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Arochlor 1016	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.020	<0.000050 to <0.020	-
Arochlor 1221	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.020	<0.000050 to <0.020	-
Arochlor 1232	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.020	<0.000050 to <0.020	-
Arochlor 1242	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.020	<0.000050 to <0.020	-
Arochlor 1248	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.020	<0.000050 to <0.020	-
Arochlor 1254	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.020	<0.000050 to <0.020	-
Arochlor 1260	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.020	<0.000050 to <0.020	-
Calcium	parts per million	no guideline	21.0	19.4 to 24.7	Contributes to hardness
Magnesium	parts per million	no guideline	6.2	5.4 to 8.0	Contributes to hardness
Sodium	parts per million	no more than 200	2.2	1.9 to 3.0	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Potassium	parts per million	no guideline	1.3	1.1 to 1.6	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Iron	parts per million	no more than 0.3	0.04	<0.01 to 0.08	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Copper	parts per million	no more than 1.0	0.003	<0.001 to 0.031	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Lead	parts per million	no more than 0.010	<0.001	<0.001 to 0.002	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Aluminum	parts per million	no more than 0.1	0.012	<0.001 to 0.109	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Antimony	parts per million	no more than 0.0006	<0.001	<0.001 to <0.001	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Arsenic	parts per million	no more than 0.010	<0.001	<0.001 to 0.001	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Nickel	parts per million	no guideline	<0.001	<0.001 to 0.001	-
Chromium	parts per million	no more than 0.05	<0.001	<0.001 to 0.001	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Chromium IV	parts per million	no guideline	<0.01	<0.01 to <0.01	-
Boron	parts per million	no more than 5	0.024	0.012 to 0.042	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Cadmium	parts per million	no more than 0.005	<0.001	<0.001 to <0.001	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Manganese	parts per million	no more than 0.05	0.018	0.004 to 0.038	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Uranium	parts per million	no more than 0.02	<0.001	<0.001 to <0.001	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Zinc	parts per million	no more than 5.0	0.002	<0.001 to 0.012	Raw water - guideline does not apply
Zirconium	parts per million	no guideline	<0.001	<0.001 to <0.001	-
Mercury	parts per million	no more than 0.001	<0.000001	<0.000001 to 0.000002	Raw water - guideline does not apply

Guidelines from 'Summary of Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality' by Health Canada, revised February 15, 2013.

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Last updated: April 15, 2024

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