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2021 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, 2021

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 8.6 7.0 to 11.1
Carbon, Total Organic parts per million 8.4 6.6 to 10.4
Chlorine, Free parts per million <0.02 <0.02 to 0.05
Chlorine, Total parts per million 0.03 <0.02 to 0.07
Chlorophyll-a parts per billion 6.2 1.3 to 13.4
Colour, Apparent TCU 13.6 9.0 to 23.0
Colour, True TCU 7.2 <5.0 to 10.0
Conductivity microsiemens per centimetre 164 155 to 178
Langelier Index (4 C) units -0.42 -0.57 to -0.28
Langelier Index (60 C) units 0.36 0.21 to 0.49
Microcystin parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Odour units 104 75 to 150
ORP millivolts 478.6 418.1 to 519.3
Oxygen, Dissolved parts per million 11.1 7.9 to 14.4
pH units 8.02 7.36 to 8.44
Plankton (algae) count cells/mL 4,956 1,461 to 9,197
Solids, Total parts per million 109 81 to 139
Solids, Total Dissolved parts per million 90 66 to 123
Temperature degrees Celcius 10.3 1.1 to 24.1
Turbidity (clearness) NTU 0.96 0.42 to 2.30
UV Transmittance, Filtered percent transmissivity 76.0 71.6 to 78.8
UV Transmittance, Unfiltered percent transmissivity 74.3 70.8 to 77.5
Anions and Nutrients
Alkalinity, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate 77.8 72.6 to 86.9
Alkalinity, Bicarbonate parts per million 96.3 91.4 to 103.0
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 80.8 74.5 to 88.3
Ammonia parts per million 0.01 <0.01 to 0.03
Bromide parts per million <0.010 <0.010 to 0.010
Chloride parts per million 2.1 1.7 to 2.6
Fluoride parts per million 0.061 0.058 to 0.063
Nitrate Nitrogen parts per million 0.009 <0.005 to 0.028
Nitrite parts per million <0.001 <0.001 to 0.001
Perchlorate parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Phosphorus,Total parts per million <0.50 <0.030 to <0.50
Sulphate parts per million 1.3 <0.4 to 5.7
Disinfection By-Products
Aldehydes parts per billion 10.5 2.2 to 15.5
Haloacetic acids parts per billion <1.2 <1.2 to <1.2
Trihalomethanes parts per billion <1.3 <1.3 to <2.7
Enteric Protozoa
Cryptosporidium oocysts per 100 L 0 0 to 0
Giardia cysts per 100 L 0 0 to 0
Total Metals
Aluminum parts per million 0.00327 0.00026 to 0.03015
Antimony parts per million 0.000048 <0.000025 to 0.000418
Arsenic parts per million 0.000854 0.000562 to 0.001280
Barium parts per million 0.0149 0.0139 to 0.0161
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 0.00525 <0.00208 to 0.02000
Cadmium parts per million <0.0000050 <0.0000050 to 0.0000090
Calcium parts per million 20.307 17.945 to 24.969
Cesium parts per million <0.000010 <0.000010 to <0.000010
Chromium parts per million 0.000040 <0.000040 to 0.000120
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 0.000330 0.000022 to 0.001109
Iron parts per million 0.04656 0.01667 to 0.08000
Lead parts per million <0.000050 <0.000050 to <0.000065
Lithium parts per million 0.0025 0.0023 to 0.0027
Magnesium parts per million 6.248 5.503 to 6.989
Manganese parts per million 0.01226 0.00147 to 0.04196
Mercury parts per billion <0.0050 <0.00050 to <0.0050
Molybdenum parts per million 0.000153 0.000113 to 0.000170
Nickel parts per million 0.000204 <0.000021 to 0.001598
Potassium parts per million 1.208 0.998 to 1.401
Rubidium parts per million 0.0017 0.0014 to 0.0019
Selenium parts per million 0.000066 0.000051 to 0.000093
Silicon parts per million 2.76 2.29 to 3.28
Silver parts per million <0.000010 <0.000010 to <0.000010
Sodium parts per million 2.355 2.102 to 2.667
Strontium parts per million 0.0395 0.0371 to 0.0445
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 <0.00010
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 0.000054
Vanadium parts per million <0.00050 <0.00050 to <0.00050
Zinc parts per million 0.00051 <0.00011 to 0.00330
Zirconium parts per million <0.00020 <0.00020 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 <0.020
alpha-Endosulfan parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
Atrazine parts per billion <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10
Azinphos-methyl 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 <0.10
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 <0.0067
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 <0.020
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 <0.020
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 <0.030
o,p-DDD parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
o,p-DDE parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.020
o,p-DDT parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
p,p-DDD parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010
p,p-DDE parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.020
p,p-DDT parts per billion <0.010 <0.010 to <0.020
Parathion parts per billion <0.0130 <0.0130 to <0.0130
Propaclor parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20
Propanil parts per billion <0.20 <0.20 to <0.50
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 <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050
Trifluralin parts per billion <0.030 <0.030 to <0.030
Bacteria
Escherichia Coli MPN per 100 mL 42 0 to >200
Total Coliforms MPN per 100 mL 100 1 to >200
Heterotrophic Plate Count CFU per mL 119 2 to >300
Taste and Odours
236 TCA - 2,3,6-trichloroanisole parts per trillion <0.49 <0.49 to <0.56
246 TCA - 2,4,6-trichloroanisole parts per trillion <0.49 <0.49 to <0.56
345 TCV - 3,4,5-trichloroveratrole parts per trillion <0.19 <0.19 to <0.22
Geosmin parts per trillion 6.99 <1.00 to 28.6
IBMP - 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine parts per trillion <0.19 <0.19 to <0.22
IPMP - 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine parts per trillion <0.19 <0.19 to <0.22
Dichloromethane parts per million <0.0050 <0.0050 to <0.0050
MIB - 2-methylisoborneol parts per trillion <9.71 <9.71 to 15.3
MTBE - methyl tertiary-butyl ether parts per million <0.0030 <0.0005 to <0.0030
NDMA - N-nitrosodimethylamine parts per trillion <0.009 <0.001 to <0.009
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 <0.50 to <0.50
2,4,5-TP parts per billion <0.50 <0.50 to <0.50
2,4-D parts per billion <0.50 <0.50 to <0.50
2,4-DB parts per billion <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050
2,4-DP parts per billion <0.50 <0.50 to <0.50
Bromoxynil parts per billion <0.50 <0.50 to <0.50
Dicamba parts per billion 0.0067 <0.0060 to 0.0167
Dinoseb parts per billion <0.50 <0.50 to <0.50
MCPA parts per billion <0.50 <0.50 to <0.50
MCPB parts per billion <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050
Mecoprop parts per billion <0.50 <0.50 to <0.50
Picloram parts per billion <0.50 <0.50 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: March 03, 2022

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