Site Accessibility Information Access Key 1 to Skip to Top Navigation Access Key 2 to Skip to the Three One One link Access Key 3 to Skip to City of Winnipeg Main Menu Access Key 4 to Skip to Left Navigation Menu Access Key 5 to Skip to Content area Access Key 6 to Skip to Right Sidebar content area Access Key 7 to Skip to Footer Links

2023 Winnipeg distribution system water quality test results

Image of water running out of a tapThe Winnipeg distribution system is the last location where we add chlorine to the water - at the outlet from each of the three pumping stations. The other locations are at the Shoal Lake intake on a periodic basis and at the Water Treatment Plant.

Our Operating Licence requires that we maintain a minimum free chlorine residual of 0.1 milligrams per litre throughout the distribution system.

Testing

Winnipeg water is intensively monitored on a routine basis at Shoal Lake, before it enters the Water Treatment Plant and after the water has passed through the treatment processes to ensure that the water is safe and that regulatory requirements are met. Because water quality is so important, our level of monitoring and sampling exceeds Provincial regulatory requirements.

  • Equipment is used to continuously monitor chlorine levels at the pumping stations and we test the chlorine levels at 60 locations throughout the distribution system on a weekly basis.
  • Microbiological samples are taken weekly at 60 locations throughout the distribution system. Tests are conducted for Escherichia coli and total coliform bacteria according to Provincial regulations, and we also test for Heterotrophic plate count which is not required under Provincial regulations, but can be useful to identify potential problem areas within the distribution system.

We also test Winnipeg distribution system water for:

  • routine water chemistry
  • metals
  • disinfection by-products

We use these test results to monitor water quality changes within the distribution system and the quality of water delivered to customers. We also respond to customer inquiries and complaints about water quality. Contact us for more information.

Test results are from January 1 to December 31, 2023

What is being measured How it's measured Guideline or regulation Winnipeg average Winnipeg range
Miscellaneous
Carbon, Dissolved Organic parts per million no guideline 6.3 2.6 to 16.9
Carbon, Total Organic parts per million no guideline 4.9 2.2 to 17.1
Chlorine, Free parts per million no guideline 0.88 0.02 to 3.50
Chlorine, Total parts per million no guideline 1.11 0.07 to 3.70
Colour, Apparent TCU no guideline 1.7 0.0 to 5.0
Colour, True TCU no more than 15 * 0.4 0.0 to <5.0
Conductivity microsiemens per centimetre no guideline 302 275 to 336
Langelier Index (4 C) units no guideline -0.65 -0.83 to -0.51
Langelier Index (60 C) units no guideline 0.12 -0.06 to 0.26
Odour units inoffensive * 11 6 to 20
ORP millivolts no guideline 602.2 441.6 to 687.8
Oxygen, Dissolved parts per million no guideline 10.9 7.4 to 15.1
pH units between 7.0 and 10.5 7.52 6.73 to 7.99
Solids, Total Dissolved parts per million no more than 500 * 168 129 to 226
Temperature degrees Celcius no more than 15 * 11.2 1.8 to 24.2
Turbidity (clearness) NTU no guideline 0.22 <0.10 to 9.1
UV Transmittance, Filtered percent transmissivity no guideline 93.8 93.0 to 95.0
Anions and Nutrients
Alkalinity, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate no guideline 67.1 56.7 to 80.5
Alkalinity, Bicarbonate parts per million no guideline 73.0 58.8 to 93.8
Alkalinity, Carbonate parts per million no guideline <0.60 <0.60 to <1.0
Alkalinity, Hydroxide parts per million no guideline <0.34 <0.34 to <1.0
Hardness, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate no guideline 82.0 73.2 to 93.2
Ammonia parts per million no guideline <0.01 <0.01 to <0.01
Bromate parts per million no more than 0.01 <0.0003 <0.0003 to <0.0003
Bromide parts per million no guideline <0.05 <0.01 to <0.05
Chloride parts per million no more than 250 * 5.0 3.7 to 6.7
Fluoride parts per million no more than 1.5 0.60 0.07 to 0.81
Nitrate Nitrogen parts per million no more than 10 0.039 0.012 to 0.074
Nitrite parts per million no more than 3 <0.005 <0.001 to <0.005
Phosphate, Soluble parts per million as phosphate no guideline 1.82 <0.04 to 4.84
Phosphorus,Total parts per million no guideline 0.707 0.654 to 0.777
Sulphate parts per million no more than 500 * 60.7 51.1 to 71.2
Bacteria
Escherichia Coli MPN per 100 mL none detectable per 100 mL <1 <1 to <1
Total Coliforms MPN per 100 mL none detectable per 100 mL <1 <1 to 1
Heterotrophic Plate Count CFU per mL no guideline <1 <1 to 90
Disinfection By-Products
Haloacetic acids parts per billion no more than 80 33.3 11.5 to 62.2
Trihalomethanes parts per billion no more than 100 44.4 12.2 to 76.0
Total Metals
Aluminum parts per million no guideline 0.00544 0.00222 to 0.02144
Antimony parts per million no more than 0.006 0.000133 <0.000025 to 0.001156
Arsenic parts per million no more than 0.010 0.000364 0.000227 to 0.000520
Barium parts per million no more than 2 0.0155 0.0142 to 0.0182
Beryllium parts per million no guideline <0.00010 <0.00002 to <0.00010
Bismuth parts per million no guideline <0.000050 <0.000050 to <0.000050
Boron parts per million no more than 5 0.012 <0.010 to 0.021
Cadmium parts per million no more than 0.007 <0.000005 <0.000005 to 0.000023
Calcium parts per million no guideline 21.154 17.025 to 25.938
Cesium parts per million no guideline <0.000010 <0.000010 to <0.000010
Chromium parts per million no more than 0.05 0.00006 <0.00004 to 0.00045
Chromium VI parts per million no guideline <0.00050 <0.00050 to 0.00147
Cobalt parts per million no guideline 0.00133 0.00080 to 0.00170
Copper parts per million no more than 2.0 0.035970 0.000159 to 0.167470
Iron parts per million no more than 0.3 * 0.07855 0.02197 to 1.79340
Lead parts per million no more than 0.005 0.000072 <0.000050 to 0.000290
Lithium parts per million no guideline 0.0024 0.0016 to 0.0029
Magnesium parts per million no guideline 6.252 5.072 to 7.420
Manganese parts per million no more than 0.12 0.01038 0.00347 to 0.16325
Mercury parts per billion no more than 1 <0.0050 <0.0050 to <0.0050
Molybdenum parts per million no guideline <0.000050 <0.000050 to <0.000050
Nickel parts per million no guideline 0.002475 0.001406 to 0.004939
Potassium parts per million no guideline 1.256 0.988 to 1.566
Rubidium parts per million no guideline 0.0018 0.0016 to 0.0020
Selenium parts per million no more than 0.05 <0.000050 <0.000050 to 0.000091
Silicon parts per million no guideline 2.10 0.66 to 3.71
Silver parts per million no guideline <0.000010 <0.000010 to <0.000010
Sodium parts per million no more than 200 * 29.484 24.481 to 35.628
Strontium parts per million no more than 7 0.0412 0.0375 to 0.0448
Tellurium parts per million no guideline <0.00020 <0.00020 to <0.00020
Thallium parts per million no guideline <0.000010 <0.000010 to <0.000010
Thorium parts per million no guideline <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010
Tin parts per million no guideline <0.00010 <0.00010 to 0.00015
Titanium parts per million no guideline <0.00030 <0.00030 to <0.00030
Tungsten parts per million no guideline <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010
Uranium parts per million no more than 0.02 0.000058 <0.000010 to 0.000264
Vanadium parts per million no guideline <0.00050 <0.00050 to <0.00050
Zinc parts per million no more than 5.0 * 0.0034 0.0002 to 0.0307
Zirconium parts per million no guideline <0.00020 <0.00020 to <0.00020

* Aesthetic objective: These guidelines have an objective and not a maximum acceptable concentration. 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, September 2020

Results in red do not meet the guideline.

Data reported was collected from a combination of MacLean, Hurst, and McPhillips Pumping Station Discharges, 57 distribution system locations (39 distribution system locations January-March), and/or Branch I at McPhillips and Branch II at Hurst.

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

Bacterial testing

What is being measured Requirement Our test results Comments
Number of total coliform bacteria tests in year 2028 samples/year 3,118  
Number of times that total coliform bacteria show up in a test none detectable per 100 mL 0.10%
(3 positive tests)
All resamples were negative and met the operating licence requirements.
Number of Escherichia coli bacteria tests in year 2028 samples/year 3,118  
Number of times that Escherichia coli bacteria show up in a test none detectable per 100 mL 0.00%
(0 positive test)
 
Number of heterotrophic (bacteria) plate count (HPC) tests done no requirement 2,170 Heterotrophic plate count testing is not required under the operating licence

Requirements from City of Winnipeg Operating Licence PWS-09-412-02 A

Data reported was collected from 57 distribution system locations and MacLean, Hurst, and McPhillips Pumping Station Discharges

Last updated: May 9, 2024

Was this information helpful?

How can we make this web page better?

Information collected will be used to improve our website. Do not use this form to submit a request for service or information because it will not be forwarded to departments for response. To submit a request for service or information, contact 311.

This form is not intended to collect personal information; however, any personal information you choose to include in your comments is collected by the City of Winnipeg under the authority of section 36(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purpose of improving our website and will not be used or disclosed for any other purposes, except as authorized by law. Contact the Corporate Access and Privacy Officer by mail (City Clerk’s Department, Susan A. Thompson Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg MB, R3B 1B9) or by telephone (311) if you have any questions about the collection of this information.

Ces renseignements sont-ils utiles?

Comment pourrait-on améliorer cette page Web?

Les renseignements recueillis serviront à l’amélioration de notre site Web. Prière de ne pas se servir de ce formulaire pour soumettre une demande de service ou de renseignements, car la demande ne sera pas transmise au service en question. Pour soumettre une demande de service ou de renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec le 311.

Le présent formulaire ne vise pas à recueillir des renseignements personnels. Cependant, les renseignements personnels que vous choisissez d’inclure dans vos commentaires sont recueillis par la Ville de Winnipeg en conformité avec l’alinéa 36(1)b) de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information et la protection de la vie privée dans le but d’améliorer son site Web et ne seront ni utilisés ni divulgués pour d’autres raisons, sauf dans les cas où cela est autorisé par la loi. Communiquez avec l’agent de l’accès à l’information et de la protection de la vie privée de la Ville par courrier au Bureau du greffier, immeuble Susan-A.-Thompson, 510, rue Main, Winnipeg (Manitoba) R3B 1B9, ou par téléphone au 311 si vous avez des questions sur la collecte de ces renseignements.