2013 Winnipeg distribution system water quality test results
The 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.
- We monitor chlorine at the places where it is added, and at 39 sites throughout the distribution system. Equipment is used to continuously monitor chlorine levels at the pumping stations and the distribution system levels are checked on a weekly basis.
- Microbiological samples are taken weekly at over 60 locations throughout the system. Tests are conducted for Escherichia coli and total coliform bacteria according to Provincial regulations. We also test for Heterotrophic plate count which is not required under the new 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 (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 1 | units | Inoffensive | 19 | 12 to 25 | Meets the guideline |
| Perchlorate 1 | parts per billion | no guideline | <0.2 | <0.2 to <0.2 | - |
| Turbidity (clearness) 2 | NTU | no guideline | 0.36 | 0.09 to 164 | - |
| Colour, True 3 | TCU | no more than 15 * | 1.6 | 0.5 to 5.0 | Meets the guideline |
| Total Dissolved Solids 3 | parts per million | no more than 500 * | 181 | 158 to 212 | Meets the guideline |
| pH 3 | units | between 6.5 and 8.5 | 7.53 | 7.25 to 7.94 | Meets the guideline |
| Temperature 2 | degrees Celcius | no more than 15 * | 10.9 | 1.6 to 26.3 | Does not always meet the guideline |
| Total Alkalinity 3 | parts per million as calcium carbonate | no guideline | 71 | 60 to 86 | - |
| Total Hardness 3 | parts per million as calcium carbonate | between 80 and 100 | 80 | 71 to 87 | Does not always meet the guideline |
| Dissolved Oxygen 4 | parts per million | no guideline | 10.9 | 8.4 to 13.7 | - |
| Fluoride 3 | parts per million | no more than 1.5 | 0.65 | 0.12 to 0.73 | Meets the guideline |
| Soluble Phosphate 3 | parts per million as phosphate | no guideline | 2.00 | 1.91 to 2.17 | Added for Lead Control Program |
| Chloride 3 | parts per million | no more than 250 * | 20 | 13 to 28 | Meets the guideline |
| Sulphate 3 | parts per million | no more than 500 * | 48 | 34 to 57 | Meets the guideline |
| Chlorine (free) 2 | parts per million | no guideline | 0.73 | 0.02 to 1.42 | - |
| Chlorine (total) 2 | parts per million | no guideline | 0.92 | 0.10 to 1.58 | - |
| Trihalomethanes 4 | parts per billion | no more than 100 | 28.1 | 11.0 to 41.8 | Meets the guideline |
| Bromodichloromethane 4 | parts per billion | no more than 16 | 2.8 | <0.5 to 5.4 | Meets the guideline |
| Haloacetic acids 4 | parts per billion | no more than 80 | 28 | 16 to 40 | Meets the guideline |
| Aldehydes 4 | parts per billion | no guideline | 10 | 4 to 21 | - |
| Calcium 4 | parts per million | no guideline | 21.7 | 17.6 to 25.3 | Contributes to hardness |
| Magnesium 4 | parts per million | no guideline | 5.9 | 4.9 to 7.1 | Contributes to hardness |
| Sodium 4 | parts per million | no more than 200 * | 31.7 | 26.6 to 37.5 | Meets the guideline |
| Potassium 4 | parts per million | no guideline | 1.2 | 1.0 to 1.5 | - |
| Iron 3 | parts per million | no more than 0.3 * | 0.03 | <0.01 to 0.17 | Meets the guideline |
| Copper 4 | parts per million | no more than 1.0 * | 0.065 | 0.019 to 0.191 | Meets the guideline |
| Lead 4 | parts per million | no more than 0.01 | <0.001 | <0.001 to 0.002 | Meets the guideline |
| Aluminum 4 | parts per million | no more than 0.1 | 0.003 | <0.001 to 0.019 | Meets the guideline |
| Arsenic 4 | parts per million | no more than 0.01 | <0.001 | <0.001 to <0.001 | Meets the guideline |
| Chromium IV 4 | parts per million | no guideline | <0.01 | <0.01 to <0.01 | - |
| Chromium 4 | parts per million | no more than 0.05 | <0.001 | <0.001 to 0.001 | Meets the guideline |
| Nickel 4 | parts per million | no guideline | 0.002 | 0.001 to 0.005 | - |
| Cadmium 4 | parts per million | no more than 0.005 | <0.001 | <0.001 to <0.001 | Meets the guideline |
| Manganese 4 | parts per million | no more than 0.05 * | 0.034 | 0.009 to 0.100 | Does not always meet the guideline |
| Zinc 4 | parts per million | no more than 5.0 * | 0.002 | <0.001 to 0.017 | Meets the guideline |
| Mercury 4 | parts per million | no more than 0.001 | <0.000001 | <0.000001 to 0.000003 | Meets the guideline |
| Antimony 4 | parts per million | no more than 0.006 | 0.004 | <0.001 to <0.02 | Does not always meet the guideline |
| Boron 4 | parts per million | no more than 5 | 0.009 | 0.007 to 0.012 | Meets the guideline |
| Uranium 4 | parts per million | no more than 0.02 | <0.001 | <0.001 to <0.001 | Meets the guideline |
| Zirconium 4 | parts per million | no guideline | <0.001 | <0.001 to <0.001 | - |
1 Data reported was collected from MacLean, Hurst, and/or McPhillips Pumping Station Discharges.
2 Data reported was collected from 39 distribution system locations.
3 Data reported was collected from a composite sample of the 39 distribution system locations.
4 Data reported was collected from 6 distribution system locations.
* 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 are no anticipated health risk for short-term exposures.
Guidelines from 'Summary of Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality' by Health Canada, revised September 13, 2013.
Bacterial testing
| What is being measured | Guideline | Our test results | Comments |
| Number of total coliform bacteria tests in year | 1820 samples/year | 3,436 | More testing than required by the guideline/provincial regulation |
| Number of times that total coliform bacteria show up in a test | no more than 10% of samples with positive total coliform or no consecutive positives from the same site. | 0.76% (26 positive tests) |
All resamples were negative and met the guideline/provincial regulation |
| Number of Escherichia coli bacteria tests in year | 1820 samples/year | 3,436 | More testing than required by the guideline/provincial regulation |
| Number of times that Escherichia coli bacteria show up in a test | no bacteria present in the sample | 0.058% (2 positive tests) |
There were 2 positive tests for Escherichia coli bacteria |
| Number of heterotrophic (bacteria) plate count (HPC) tests done | no guideline | 3,314 | Heterotrophic plate count testing is not required under the provincial regulations. |
Data reported was collected from 57 distribution system locations and MacLean, Hurst, and McPhillips Pumping Station Discharges.
Guidelines from 'Summary of Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality' by Health Canada, revised March 21, 2014.