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2018 Water Treatment Plant treated water quality test results

Image of water treatment plant filter tanksThe new Water Treatment Plant is a state-of-the-art, modern facility designed for performance, safety, and environmental sustainability. In the plant, the water goes through several treatment processes, including dissolved air flotation, ozonation, filtration and ultraviolet light disinfection. Fluoride and orthophosphate are also added to the water. The Water Treatment Plant allows us to:

  • comply with the requirements of our Operating Licence
  • meet increasingly strict Canadian drinking water quality guidelines,
  • virtually eliminate the risk of waterborne disease,
  • reduce levels of disinfection by-products and
  • significantly improve the taste and odour of the drinking water.

Our Operating Licence requires that we maintain a minimum free chlorine residual of 0.5 milligrams per litre in water leaving the Water Treatment Plant.

Testing

We test our water at Shoal Lake, at the Water Treatment Plant raw water inlet and at the Water Treatment Plant treated water outlet once the water has passed through all of the treatment processes. The water then flows from the water treatment plant to the three regional reservoirs and pumping stations before being distributed to Winnipeg homes and businesses.

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

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

Test results are from January 1 to December 31, 2018

What is being measured How it's measured Guideline or regulation Water Treatment Plant treated average Water Treatment Plant treated range Comments
Miscellaneous
Carbon, Dissolved Organic parts per million no guideline 3.9 2.1 to 8.6 -
Carbon, Total Organic parts per million no guideline 3.7 1.8 to 8.7 -
Chlorine, Free parts per million no guideline 1.21 0.81 to 1.81 -
Chlorine, Total parts per million no guideline 1.39 1.02 to 2.00 -
Chlorophyll-a parts per billion no guideline <1 <1 to <1 Chlorophyll is found in algae
Colour, True TCU no more than 15 * 1.0 <0.5 to 2.5 Meets the guideline
Conductivity microsiemens per centimetre no guideline 315 293 to 354 Another measure of dissolved solids
Microcystin LR parts per billion no more than 1.5 <0.2 <0.2 to <0.2 Meets the guideline
Odour  units inoffensive* 14 8 to 25 Meets the guideline
ORP millivolts no guideline 380 211 to 617  
Oxygen, Dissolved parts per million no guideline 13.1 8.9 to 15.5 -
pH  units between 7.0 and 10.5 7.79 7.35 to 8.08 Meets the guideline
Plankton (algae) count  cells/mL no guideline <100 <100 to <100 Algae contribute to odours and may cause filter clogging
Solids, Total parts per million no guideline 183 161 to 210 -
Solids, Total Dissolved parts per million no more than 500 * 166 124 to 204 Meets the guideline
Temperature degrees Celcius no more than 15 * 8.7 1.3 to 23.7 Does not always meet the guideline
Turbidity (clearness) NTU no more than 0.3 in 95% of measurements/month, never to exceed 1.0 0.17 0.09 to 0.45 Meets the guideline
UV Transmittance, Filtered percent transmissivity no guideline 95.0 92.1 to 99.7 -
UV Transmittance, Unfiltered percent transmissivity no guideline 93.9 90.7 to 99.4 -
Anions and Nutrients
Alkalinity, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate no guideline 70 60 to 81 -
Hardness, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate no guideline 81 74 to 92 -
Chloride parts per million no more than 250 * 23 4 to 39 Meets the guideline
Perchlorate parts per billion no guideline <0.2 <0.2 to <0.2 -
Sulphate parts per million no more than 500 * 48.1 31.3 to 76.1 Meets the guideline
Bacteria
Escherichia Coli MPN per 100 mL none detectable per 100 mL <1 <1 to <1 Meets the guideline
Total Coliforms MPN per 100 mL none detectable per 100 mL <1 <1 to <1 Meets the guideline
Heterotrophic Plate Count CFU per mL no guideline <1 <1 to 4 -
Disinfection By-Products
Aldehydes parts per billion no guideline 17.9 8.3 to 33.7 -
Bromodichloromethane parts per billion no guideline 1.3 0.5 to 2.4 -
Haloacetic acids parts per billion no more than 80 9 2 to 17 Meets the guideline
Trihalomethanes parts per billion no more than 100 12 5 to 20 Meets the guideline
Taste and Odours
236 TCA - 2,3,6-trichloroanisole parts per trillion no guideline <0.5 <0.5 to <0.5 -
246 TCA - 2,4,6-trichloroanisole parts per trillion no guideline <0.5 <0.5 to <0.5 -
345 TCV - 3,4,5-trichloroveratrole parts per trillion no guideline <0.2 <0.2 to <0.2 -
Geosmin parts per trillion no guideline 1.9 <0.50 to 5.9 -
IBMP - 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine parts per trillion no guideline <0.2 <0.2 to <0.2 -
IPMP - 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine parts per trillion no guideline <0.2 <0.2 to <0.2 -
Dichloromethane parts per million no more than 0.05 <0.0005 <0.0005 to <0.0015 Meets the guideline
MIB - 2-methylisoborneol parts per trillion no guideline <10 <10 to <10 -
MTBE - methyl tertiary-butyl ether parts per million no more than 0.015 * <0.0005 <0.0005 to <0.0005 Meets the guideline
NDMA -
N-nitrosodimethylamine
parts per trillion no more than 40 1.2 <1.0 to 2.3 Meets the guideline
Total Metals
Aluminum parts per million no guideline 0.0105 0.0040 to 0.0471 -
Antimony parts per million no more than 0.006 <0.00050 <0.000025 to <0.00050 Meets the guideline
Arsenic parts per million no more than 0.010 0.0004 0.0002 to <0.0010 Meets the guideline
Boron parts per million no guideline 0.00243 <0.00208 to 0.00663  
Cadmium parts per million no more than 0.005 <0.00060 <0.000007 to <0.00060 Meets the guideline
Calcium parts per million no guideline 21.5 15.9 to 25.6 Contributes to hardness
Chromium parts per million no more than 0.05 0.00027 <0.00004 to 0.00158 Meets the guideline
Chromium VI parts per million no guideline <0.001 <0.001 to 0.001 -
Copper parts per million no more than 1.0 * 0.0023 0.0005 to 0.0050 Meets the guideline
Iron parts per million no more than 0.3 * 0.0406 0.0060 to 0.2016 Meets the guideline
Lead parts per million no more than 0.010 <0.00060 <0.000065 to <0.00060 Meets the guideline
Magnesium parts per million no guideline 6.53 5.60 to 7.62 Contributes to hardness
Manganese parts per million no more than 0.05 * 0.0267 0.0057 to 0.0506 Does not always meet the guidline
Mercury parts per billion no more than 1 <0.0005 <0.0005 to <0.0010 Meets the guideline
Nickel parts per million no guideline 0.0023 0.0018 to 0.0031 -
Potassium parts per million no guideline 1.25 1.00 to 1.51 -
Sodium parts per million no more than 200 * 32.3 26.8 to 39.0 Meets the guideline
Uranium parts per million no more than 0.02 <0.00060 <0.000032 to <0.00060 Meets the guideline
Zinc parts per million no more than 5.0 * 0.00161 0.00022 to 0.02736 Meets the guideline
Pesticides
Alachlor parts per billion no guideline <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 -
Aldrin parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
alpha-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 -
alpha-Endosulfan parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Atrazine parts per billion no more than 5 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Meets the guideline
Azinphosmethyl parts per billion no more than 20 <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 Meets the guideline
beta-BHC 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 -
Carbaryl parts per billion no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 -
Carbofuran parts per billion no more than 90 <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 Meets the guideline
Chlorothalonil parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
Chlorpyrifos parts per billion no more than 90 <0.0050 <0.0050 to <0.0050 Meets the guideline
delta-BHC parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Diazinon parts per billion no more than 20 <0.0050 <0.0050 to <0.0050 Meets the guideline
Diclofop-methyl parts per billion no more than 9 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Meets the guideline
Dieldrin parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Dimethoate parts per billion no more than 20 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Meets the guideline
Endrin parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Eptam parts per billion no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 -
gamma-Chlordane parts per billion no guideline <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 -
Lindane (gamma-BHC) parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Malathion parts per billion no more than 190 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Meets the guideline
Methoxychlor parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Methyl Parathion parts per billion no guideline <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 -
Metribuzin parts per billion no more than 80 <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 Meets the guideline
Mirex 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 -
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 -
p,p-DDT parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Parathion parts per billion no guideline <0.013 <0.013 to <0.013 -
Propaclor 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 -
Propoxur parts per billion no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 -
Simazine parts per billion no more than 10 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Meets the guideline
Terbufos parts per billion no more than 1 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Meets the guideline
Triallate parts per billion no guideline <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 -
Trichlopyr parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
Trifluralin parts per billion no more than 45 <0.030 <0.030 to <0.030 Meets the guideline
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Arochlor 1016 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1221 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1232 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1242 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1248 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1254 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1260 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Phenoxy Acid Herbicides
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 -
2,4-D parts per billion no more than 100 <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 Meets the guideline
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 -
Bromoxynil parts per billion no more than 5 <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 Meets the guideline
Dicamba parts per billion no more than 120 <0.0060 <0.0060 to <0.0060 Meets the guideline
Dinoseb parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
MCPA parts per billion no more than 100 <0.025 <0.025 to <0.025 Meets the guideline
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 <0.40 Meets the guideline

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

* Aesthetic objective: These guidelines have an objective and not a maximum acceptable limit. These parameters should not impact the safety of the water to drink and there is no anticipated health risk for short-term exposures.

Guidelines from 'Summary of Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality' by Health Canada, February 2017

Last updated: April 3, 2019

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