2015 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.

Test results are from January 1 to December 31, 2015

What is being measured	How it's measured	Guideline or regulation	Winnipeg average	Winnipeg range	Comments
Odour 1	units	Inoffensive	16	8 to 30	Meets the guideline
Perchlorate 1	parts per billion	no guideline	<0.2	<0.2 to <0.2	-
Turbidity (clearness) 2	NTU	no guideline	0.33	0.09 to 19.2	-
Colour, True 3	TCU	no more than 15 *	0.9	0.5 to 6.0	Meets the guideline
Total Dissolved Solids 3	parts per million	no more than 500 *	179	71 to 220	Meets the guideline
pH 6	units	between 6.5 and 8.5 *	7.49	6.71 to 8.13	Meets the guideline
Temperature 2	degrees Celcius	no more than 15 *	11.3	0.2 to 26.1	Does not always meet the guideline
Total Alkalinity 3	parts per million as calcium carbonate	no guideline	65	58 to 77	-
Total Hardness 3	parts per million as calcium carbonate	no guideline	83	71 to 98	-
Dissolved Oxygen 5	parts per million	no guideline	11.8	6.3 to 15.6	-
Fluoride 3	parts per million	no more than 1.5	0.67	0.53 to 0.74	Meets the guideline
Soluble Phosphate *	parts per million as phosphate	no guideline	1.88	0.86 to 2.54	Added for Lead Control Program
Bromide7	parts per million	no guideline	<0.10	<0.10 to <0.10	-
Bromate7	parts per million	no more than 0.01	<0.0003	<0.0003 to <0.0003	Meets the guideline
Chloride 3	parts per million	no more than 250 *	22	16 to 26	Meets the guideline
Sulphate 3	parts per million	no more than 500 *	52	42 to 64	Meets the guideline
Chlorine (free) 2	parts per million	no guideline	0.82	<0.02 to 1.54	-
Chlorine (total) 2	parts per million	no guideline	1.02	0.07 to 1.83	-
Trihalomethanes 5	parts per billion	no more than 100	21	7 to 40	Meets the guideline
Bromodichloromethane 5	parts per billion	no guideline	1.2	<1.0 to 4.0	-
Haloacetic acids 5	parts per billion	no more than 80	33	18 to 61	Meets the guideline
Aldehydes 5	parts per billion	no guideline	16	6 to 37	-
Calcium 6	parts per million	no guideline	21.0	18.7 to 27.4	Contributes to hardness
Magnesium 6	parts per million	no guideline	5.85	4.03 to 7.67	Contributes to hardness
Sodium 6	parts per million	no more than 200 *	30.8	25.0 to 37.3	Meets the guideline
Potassium 6	parts per million	no guideline	1.24	1.09 to 2.06	-
Iron 6	parts per million	no more than 0.3 *	0.043	<0.008 to 0.169	Meets the guideline
Copper 6	parts per million	no more than 1.0 *	0.0452	0.0016 to 0.3048	Meets the guideline
Lead 6	parts per million	no more than 0.01	<0.0004	<0.0004 to 0.0045	Meets the guideline
Aluminum 6	parts per million	no more than 0.1	0.0161	<0.0005 to 0.0753	Meets the guideline
Arsenic 6	parts per million	no more than 0.010	0.0006	0.0005 to 0.0012	Meets the guideline
Chromium VI 5	parts per billion	no guideline	<10	<10 to <10	-
Chromium 6	parts per million	no more than 0.05	<0.0007	<0.0007 to 0.0062	Meets the guideline
Nickel 6	parts per million	no guideline	0.0024	0.0016 to 0.0037	-
Cadmium 6	parts per million	no more than 0.005	<0.0004	<0.0004 to <0.0004	Meets the guideline
Manganese 6	parts per million	no more than 0.05 *	0.0250	0.0022 to 0.1792	Does not always meet the guideline
Zinc 6	parts per million	no more than 5.0 *	0.0048	<0.0005 to 0.0605	Meets the guideline
Mercury 5	parts per million	no more than 0.001	0.0000005	<0.0000005 to 0.0000020	Meets the guideline
Antimony 6	parts per million	no more than 0.006	<0.0005	<0.0005 to 0.0005	Meets the guideline
Boron 6	parts per million	no more than 5	0.0114	<0.0005 to 0.0377	Meets the guideline
Uranium 6	parts per million	no more than 0.02	<0.0005	<0.0005 to <0.0005	Meets the guideline
Zirconium 6	parts per million	no guideline	<0.0005	<0.0005 to 0.0035	-

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

1 Data reported was collected from MacLean, Hurst, and McPhillips Pumping Station Discharges.

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

3 Data reported was collected from a composite sample of 39 distribution system locations.

4 Data reported was collected from a composite sample of 39 distribution system locations and MacLean, Hurst, and McPhillips Pumping Station Discharges.

5 Data reported was collected from 6 distribution system locations and MacLean, Hurst, and McPhillips Pumping Station Discharges.

6 Data reported was collected from 6 distribution system locations, a composite sample of 39 distribution system locations and MacLean, Hurst, and McPhillips Pumping Station Discharges.

* 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, October 2014

Bacterial testing

What is being measured	Requirement	Our test results	Comments
Number of total coliform bacteria tests in year	2028 samples/year	3,064	More testing than required by the operating licence
Number of times that total coliform bacteria show up in a test	less than one bacteria detectable per 100 mL	0.36% (11 positive tests)	All resamples were negative and met the operating licence requirements
Number of Escherichia coli bacteria tests in year	2028 samples/year	3,064	More testing than required by the operating licence
Number of times that Escherichia coli bacteria show up in a test	less than one bacteria detectable per 100 mL	0.16% (5 positive tests)	All resamples were negative and met the operating licence requirements
Number of heterotrophic (bacteria) plate count (HPC) tests done	no requirement	3,064	Heterotrophic plate count testing is not required under the operating licence

Requirements from City of Winnipeg Operating Licence PWS-09-412 AA

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