2005 Winnipeg water quality test results
Winnipeg 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 and at the Deacon Reservoir outlet. We maintain an average free chlorine residual of between 0.3 and 0.4 milligrams per litre in the distribution system.
Testing
Winnipeg water is intensively monitored on a routine basis 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.
- We monitor chlorine at the places where it is added, and at 19 sites throughout the distribution system. Equipment is used to continuously monitor chlorine levels at the pumping stations and the distribution system levels are checked weekly from about the beginning of May to about the end of October, and every two weeks at other times.
- Microbiological samples are taken weekly at over 60 locations throughout the system. Tests are conducted for general bacteria and for coliform bacteria according to Provincial regulations.
We also test Winnipeg water for:
- routine water chemistry
- metals (analyzed both by us and the Province)
- disinfection by-products
We measure how water quality changes within the distribution system and the quality of water delivered to customers with these tests. We also respond to customer inquiries and complaints about water quality. Contact us for more information.
| What is being measured |
How it's measured |
Guideline or regulation |
Winnipeg average |
Winnipeg range |
Comments |
| Odour | units | Inoffensive | 75 | 20 to 150 | Raw water - guideline does not apply |
| Geosmin | parts per trillion | no guideline | 14 | <1 to 54 | Common taste and odour compound |
| IPMP - 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine | parts per trillion | no guideline | <2 | <2 | Common taste and odour compound |
| IBMP - 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine | parts per trillion | no guideline | <2 | <2 | Common taste and odour compound |
| MIB - 2-methylisoborneol | parts per trillion | no guideline | <2 | <2 to 13 | Common taste and odour compound |
| 246 TCA - 2,4,6-trichloroanisole | parts per trillion | no guideline | <2 | <2 | Common taste and odour compound |
| 236 TCA - 2,3,6-trichloroanisole | parts per trillion | no guideline | <2 | <2 | Common taste and odour compound |
| 345 TCV - 3,4,5-trichloroveratrole | parts per trillion | no guideline | <2 | <2 | Common taste and odour compound |
| Chlorophyll-a | parts per billion | no guideline | <1 | <1 | Chlorophyll is found in algae |
| Microcystin LR | parts per billion | no more than 1.5 | <0.2 | <0.2 | Meets the guideline |
| Turbidity (clearness) | Nephelometric turbidity units | no more than 1 | 0.52 | 0.25 to 1.5 | Does not always meet the guideline |
| Colour, True | units | no more than 15 | 3 | 3 to 5 | Meets the guideline |
| Total Dissolved Solids | milligrams per litre | no more than 500 | 100 | 96 to 108 | Meets the guideline |
| Conductivity | microsiemens per centimetre | no guideline | 160 | 150 to 170 | Another measure of dissolved solids |
| pH | units | between 6.5 and 8.5 | 7.38 | 7.12 to 7.72 | Meets the guideline |
| Temperature | degrees Celsius | no more than 15 | 10.1 | 2.5 to 33 | Does not always meet the guideline |
| Total Alkalinity | parts per million as calcium carbonate | no guideline | 62.8 | 56 to 71 | - |
| Total Hardness | parts per million as calcium carbonate | no guideline | 76 | 69 to 90 | 80 to 100 parts per million is recommended |
| Total Organic Carbon | parts per million | no guideline | 7 | 5.8 to 8.5 | - |
| Total Inorganic Carbon | parts per million | no guideline | 15 | 12 to 16 | - |
| Fluoride | parts per million | no more than 1.5 | 0.85 | 0.78 to 0.93 | Meets the guideline |
| Nitrate | parts per million | no more than 10 | 0.01 | <0.01 to 0.04 | Meets the guideline |
| Phosphorus as orthophosphate | parts per million | no guideline | 1.8 | 1 to 2.5 | Added for lead control program |
| Chloride | parts per million | no more than 250 | <9 | <9 | Meets the guideline |
| Sulphate | parts per million | no more than 500 | <9 | <9 | Meets the guideline |
| Chlorine (total) | parts per million | no guideline | 0.82 | 0.38 to 1.28 | - |
| Chlorine (free) | parts per million | no guideline | 0.46 | 0.07 to 0.91 | - |
| Trihalomethanes a | parts per billion | no more than 100 | 115 | 76 to 163 | Does not always meet the guideline |
| Bromodichloromethane a | parts per billion | no more than 16 | 11.3 | 7.1 to 15.1 | Meets the guideline |
| Haloacetic acids | parts per billion | under review | 120 | 68 to 171 | Guideline under review by Health Canada |
| Calcium | parts per million | no guideline | 21.7 | 19 to 23.1 | Contributes to hardness |
| Magnesium | parts per million | no guideline | 5.87 | 5.17 to 6.41 | - |
| Sodium | parts per million | no more than 200 | 2.02 | 1.86 to 2.19 | Raw water - guideline does not apply |
| Potassium | parts per million | no guideline | 1.23 | 1.14 to 1.36 | - |
| Iron | parts per million | no more than 0.3 | 0.04 | 0.03 to 0.06 | Meets the guideline |
| Copper | parts per million | no more than 1.0 | 0.101 | 0.035 to 0.273 | Meets the guideline |
| Lead * | parts per million | no more than 0.01 | <0.001 | <0.001 to <0.001 | Meets the guideline |
| Aluminum | parts per million | no more than 0.2 | 0.004 | 0.002 to 0.008 | Meets the guideline |
| Arsenic | parts per million | no more than 0.025 | <0.001 | <0.001 to 0.001 | Meets the guideline |
| Chromium | parts per million | no more than 0.05 | <0.001 | <0.001 to <0.004 | Meets the guideline |
| Nickel | parts per million | no guideline | 0.001 | <0.001 to 0.001 | - |
| Cadmium | parts per million | no more than 0.005 | <0.001 | <0.001 | Meets the guideline |
| Manganese | parts per million | no more than 0.05 | 0.01 | <0.01 to 0.02 | Meets the guideline |
| Zinc | parts per million | no more than 5.0 | <0.003 | <0.003 to 0.016 | Meets the guideline |
| Antimony | parts per million | no more than 0.006 | 0.0003 | 0.0003 to 0.0004 | Meets the guideline |
| Barium | parts per million | no more than 1.0 | 0.014 | 0.012 to 0.016 | Meets the guideline |
| Beryllium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.0002 | <0.0002 | - |
| Bismuth | parts per million | no guideline | <0.0002 | <0.0002 | - |
| Boron | parts per million | no more than 5 | 0.01 | <0.01 to 0.01 | Meets the guideline |
| Cesium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | - |
| Cobalt | parts per million | no guideline | <0.0002 | <0.0002 | - |
| Lithium | parts per million | no guideline | 0.00215 | 0.0021 to 0.0022 | - |
| Molybdenum | parts per million | no guideline | 0.0001 | <0.0001 to 0.0001 | - |
| Selenium | parts per million | no more than 0.01 | <0.0002 | <0.0002 | Meets the guideline |
| Silicon | parts per million | no guideline | 0.32 | 0.13 to 0.51 | - |
| Silver | parts per million | no guideline | 0.0001 | 0.0001 | - |
| Strontium | parts per million | no guideline | 0.0355 | 0.032 to 0.039 | - |
| Tellurium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.0002 | <0.0002 | - |
| Thallium | parts per million | no guideline | 0.00002 | <0.00002 to 0.00005 | - |
| Thorium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | - |
| Tin | parts per million | no guideline | <0.0002 | <0.0002 to 0.0002 | - |
| Titanium | parts per million | no guideline | 0.0004 | 0.0004 | - |
| Uranium | parts per million | no more than 0.02 | <0.0001 | <0.0001 | Meets the guideline |
| Vanadium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.0002 | <0.0002 | - |
| Zirconium | parts per million | no more than 0.1 | <0.002 | <0.002 | Meets the guideline |
* For more information on lead in drinking water, read our lead control program question and answer section.
| What is being measured | Guideline | Our test results | Comments |
| Number of total coliform bacteria tests in year | 1820 samples | 3240 samples | More testing than required by the guideline/provincial regulation |
| Number of times that total coliform bacteria show up in a test | No more than 320 positive total coliform | 18 positive test results | All resamples were negative and met the guideline/provincial regulation |
| Number of times that more than 10 total coliform bacteria show up in a test | No more than 10 bacteria per sample | 6 samples with greater than 10 bacteria | All resamples were negative and met the guideline/provincial regulation |
| Number of heterotrophic (bacteria) plate count (HPC) tests done | No guideline | 3239 samples | Heterotrophic plate count is not required under the new provincial regulations. |
| Number of times that HPC counts are more than 500 colonies | No guideline | 12 samples with bacteria count greater than 500 | 11 resamples met the guideline. One resample was more than 500 and the watermain was flushed and resampled. The resample was less than 500. |
(a) Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Guideline Technical Document, Trihalomethanes, May 2006.
Guidelines from 'Summary of Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality' by Health Canada, March 2006.
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This page was last updated on April 15, 2024 |
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