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2019 Water Treatment Plant raw water quality test results

Image of Deacon ReservoirThe aqueduct carries raw water from Shoal Lake to Deacon Reservoir. Deacon Reservoir is a storage reservoir located just east of Winnipeg. There are four open cells at Deacon, which together hold 8.8 billion litres, enough water to supply Winnipeg for about 20 days. Before the Water Treatment Plant was built, raw water sampling was done at Deacon Reservoir. The water now leaves Deacon Reservoir and enters the Water Treatment Plant where we do our raw water testing.

Testing

We test the raw water at the Water Treatment Plant on a continual basis. We also test water from Shoal Lake, the Water Treatment Plant treated water outlet and the Winnipeg distribution system. We track seasonal variations in water quality as the water passes through the aqueduct, the Deacon Reservoirs and enters the Water Treatment Plant.

At the Water Treatment Plant raw water inlet sampling point we test for:

  • routine water chemistry
  • taste and odour compounds
  • metals
  • disinfection by-products
  • bacteria and protozoa
  • toxins produced by algae
  • pesticides, herbicides and PCBs

Test results are from January 1 to December 31, 2019

What is being measured How it's measured Water Treatment Plant raw average Water Treatment Plant raw range
Miscellaneous
Carbon, Dissolved Organic parts per million 8.4 6.1 to 10.8
Carbon, Total Organic parts per million 8.1 5.8 to 10.5
Chlorine, Free parts per million 0.02 <0.02 to 0.09
Chlorine, Total parts per million 0.03 <0.02 to 0.12
Chlorophyll-a parts per billion 3.9 <1.0 to 8.8
Colour, True TCU 9.9 7.0 to 13.0
Conductivity microsiemens per centimetre 164 89 to 198
Langelier Index (4 C) units -0.35 -0.42 to -0.25
Langelier Index (60 C) units 0.42 0.35 to 0.52
Microcystin parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Odour units 84 75 to 150
ORP millivolts 439.7 246.0 to 669.5
Oxygen, Dissolved parts per million 10.8 7.4 to 13.4
pH units 7.97 7.44 to 8.61
Plankton (algae) count cells/mL 6,655 172 to 27,680
Solids, Total parts per million 104 48 to 202
Solids, Total Dissolved parts per million 86 52 to 124
Temperature degrees Celcius 9.5 1.5 to 23.7
Turbidity (clearness) NTU 0.84 0.30 to 2.42
UV Transmittance, Filtered percent transmissivity 76.8 73.3 to 81.0
UV Transmittance, Unfiltered percent transmissivity 75.3 71.8 to 78.7
Anions and Nutrients
Alkalinity, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate 82.1 77.1 to 90.3
Alkalinity, Bicarbonate parts per million 100 94 to 110
Alkalinity, Carbonate parts per million <0.60 <0.60 to <0.60
Alkalinity, Hydroxide parts per million <0.34 <0.34 to <0.34
Hardness, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate 80.6 74.3 to 91.1
Ammonia parts per million 0.023 <0.010 to 0.048
Bromide parts per million <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Chloride parts per million 2.1 <0.4 to 3.8
Fluoride parts per million 0.061 0.057 to 0.067
Nitrate Nitrogen parts per million 0.0195 <0.0050 to 0.0409
Nitrite parts per million 0.0011 <0.0010 to 0.0022
Perchlorate parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Phosphorus,Total parts per million <0.030 <0.030 to <0.050
Sulphate parts per million 1.7 <0.4 to 6.4
Bacteria
Escherichia Coli MPN per 100 mL 25 0 to >200
Total Coliforms MPN per 100 mL 98 0 to >200
Heterotrophic Plate Count CFU per mL 119 2 to >300
Disinfection By-Products
Aldehydes parts per billion 0.7 <0.3 to 1.4
Bromodichloromethane parts per billion <0.4 <0.4 to <0.4
Haloacetic acids parts per billion <1.1 <1.1 to 2.0
Trihalomethanes parts per billion <2.7 <2.7 to <2.7
Enteric Protozoa
Cryptosporidium oocysts per 100 L 0 0 to 0
Giardia cysts per 100 L 0 0 to 0
Taste and Odours
236 TCA - 2,3,6-trichloroanisole parts per trillion <0.49 <0.037 to <0.51
246 TCA - 2,4,6-trichloroanisole parts per trillion <0.49 0.59 to <0.51
345 TCV - 3,4,5-trichloroveratrole parts per trillion <0.18 <0.18 to <0.20
Geosmin parts per trillion 4.97 <0.98 to 16
IBMP - 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine parts per trillion <0.20 <0.0097 to <0.20
IPMP - 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine parts per trillion <0.20 <0.013 to <0.20
Dichloromethane parts per million <0.0050 <0.00050 to <0.0050
MIB - 2-methylisoborneol parts per trillion <10 3 to <10
MTBE - methyl tertiary-butyl ether parts per million <0.00050 <0.00050 to <0.00050
NDMA -
N-nitrosodimethylamine
parts per trillion 1.02 <0.50 to 2.48
Total Metals
Aluminum parts per million 0.00278 <0.00026 to 0.04430
Antimony parts per million <0.000025 <0.000025 to 0.000068
Arsenic parts per million 0.000752 0.000593 to 0.001087
Barium parts per million 0.0155 0.0132 to 0.0173
Beryllium parts per million <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010
Bismuth parts per million <0.000050 <0.000050 to <0.000050
Boron parts per million 0.00259 <0.00208 to 0.00671
Cadmium parts per million <0.000007 <0.000007 to <0.000007
Calcium parts per million 22.095 19.081 to 26.395
Cesium parts per million <0.000010 <0.000010 to 0.000011
Chromium parts per million 0.00004 <0.00004 to 0.00091
Chromium VI parts per million <0.00050 <0.00050 to <0.00050
Cobalt parts per million <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010
Copper parts per million 0.000432 <0.000022 to 0.004686
Iron parts per million 0.05129 0.01828 to 0.10151
Lead parts per million <0.000065 <0.000065 to <0.000065
Lithium parts per million 0.0025 0.0021 to 0.0029
Magnesium parts per million 6.594 5.658 to 7.541
Manganese parts per million 0.01178 0.00186 to 0.04647
Mercury parts per billion <0.00050 <0.00050 to <0.00050
Molybdenum parts per million 0.000177 0.000157 to 0.000192
Nickel parts per million 0.000125 <0.000021 to 0.000904
Potassium parts per million 1.290 1.035 to 1.601
Rubidium parts per million 0.00169 0.00145 to 0.00188
Selenium parts per million 0.000052 <0.000050 to 0.000106
Silicon parts per million 2.95 2.30 to 3.69
Silver parts per million <0.000010 <0.000010 to <0.000010
Sodium parts per million 2.467 2.077 to 2.966
Strontium parts per million 0.0404 0.0369 to 0.0440
Tellurium parts per million <0.00020 <0.00020 to <0.00020
Thallium parts per million <0.000010 <0.000010 to <0.000010
Thorium parts per million <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010
Tin parts per million <0.00010 <0.00010 to 0.00012
Titanium parts per million <0.00030 <0.00030 to <0.00030
Tungsten parts per million <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010
Uranium parts per million <0.000032 <0.000032 to 0.000034
Vanadium parts per million <0.00050 <0.00050 to <0.00050
Zinc parts per million 0.00065 <0.00011 to 0.01518
Zirconium parts per million <0.00020 <0.000060 to <0.00020
Pesticides
Alachlor parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Aldrin parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
alpha-BHC parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
alpha-Chlordane parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
alpha-Endosulfan parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Atrazine parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Azinphosmethyl parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
beta-BHC parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
beta-Endosulfan parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Carbaryl parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Carbofuran parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Chlorothalonil parts per billion <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050
Chlorpyrifos parts per billion <0.0050 <0.0050 to <0.0050
delta-BHC parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Diazinon parts per billion <0.0050 <0.0050 to <0.0050
Diclofop-methyl parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Dieldrin parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
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 <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Heptachlor parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Heptachlor Epoxide parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Lindane (gamma-BHC) parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Malathion parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Methoxychlor parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Methyl Parathion parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Metribuzin parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Mirex parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
o,p-DDD parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
o,p-DDE parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
o,p-DDT parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.050
p,p-DDD parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
p,p-DDE parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
p,p-DDT parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.050
Parathion parts per billion <0.013 <0.013 to <0.013
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 <50 <0.10 to <50
Trifluralin parts per billion <0.030 <0.030 to <0.030
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 <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050
2,4-DP parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
Bromoxynil parts per billion <0.50 <0.020 to <0.50
Dicamba parts per billion <0.0060 <0.0060 to <0.0098
Dinoseb parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
MCPA parts per billion <0.50 <0.025 to <0.50
MCPB parts per billion <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050
Mecoprop parts per billion <0.50 <0.050 to <0.50
Picloram parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.50

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

Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality do not appply to raw water.

Last updated: April 1, 2019

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