2018 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.
- 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, 2018
| What is being measured | How it's measured | Guideline or regulation | Winnipeg average | Winnipeg range | Comments |
| Miscellaneous | |||||
| Carbon, Dissolved Organic | parts per million | no guideline | 4.2 | 2.6 to 8.8 | - |
| Carbon, Total Organic | parts per million | no guideline | 4.4 | 1.8 to 13.4 | - |
| Chlorine, Free | parts per million | no guideline | 0.81 | <0.02 to 1.56 | - |
| Chlorine, Total | parts per million | no guideline | 1.04 | 0.17 to 1.84 | - |
| Colour, True | TCU | no more than 15 * | 0.9 | 0.5 to 5.0 | Meets the guideline |
| Conductivity | microsiemens per centimetre | no guideline | 304 | 249 to 335 | Another measure of dissolved solids |
| Langelier Index (4 C) | units | no guideline | -0.81 | -0.94 to -0.66 | - |
| Langelier Index (60 C) | units | no guideline | -0.04 | -0.17 to 0.11 | - |
| Odour | units | inoffensive* | 10 | 5 to 15 | Meets the guideline |
| ORP | millivolts | no guideline | 463 | 216 to 595 | - |
| Oxygen, Dissolved | parts per million | no guideline | 12.9 | 4.6 to 16.8 | - |
| pH | units | between 7.0 and 10.5 | 7.52 | 7.33 to 7.86 | Meets the guideline |
| Solids, Total Dissolved | parts per million | no more than 500 * | 164 | 123 to 208 | Meets the guideline |
| Temperature | degrees Celcius | no more than 15 * | 10.3 | 0.3 to 24.6 | Does not always meet the guidline |
| Turbidity (clearness) | NTU | no guideline | 0.24 | 0.01 to 6.0 | - |
| UV Transmittance, Unfiltered | percent transmissivity | no guideline | 93.7 | 91.6 to 95.9 | - |
| Anions and Nutrients | |||||
| Alkalinity, Total | parts per million as calcium carbonate | no guideline | 67 | 56 to 78 | - |
| Alkalinity, Bicarbonate | parts per million | no guideline | 88 | 76 to 93 | - |
| Alkalinity, Carbonate | parts per million | no guideline | <0.60 | <0.60 to <0.60 | - |
| Alkalinity, Hydroxide | parts per million | no guideline | <0.34 | <0.34 to <0.34 | - |
| Hardness, Total | parts per million as calcium carbonate | no guideline | 82 | 76 to 90 | - |
| Ammonia | parts per million | no guideline | <0.010 | <0.010 to <0.013 | - |
| Bromate | parts per million | no more than 0.01 | <0.050 | <0.010 to <0.050 | Detection limit above guideline (not detected) |
| Bromide | parts per million | no guideline | <0.010 | <0.010 to <0.010 | - |
| Chloride | parts per million | no more than 250 * | 22 | 4 to 36 | Meets the guideline |
| Fluoride | parts per million | no more than 1.5 | 0.69 | 0.53 to 0.76 | Meets the guideline |
| Nitrate Nitrogen | parts per million | no more than 10 | 0.0203 | 0.0089 to 0.0479 | Meets the guideline |
| Nitrite | parts per million | no more than 3 | <0.0010 | <0.0010 to <0.0010 | Meets the guideline |
| Perchlorate | parts per billion | no guideline | <0.2 | <0.2 to <0.2 | - |
| Phosphate, Soluble | parts per million as phosphate | no guideline | 1.80 | 0.05 to 2.15 | Added for Lead Control Program |
| Phosphorus,Total | parts per million | no guideline | 0.63 | 0.38 to 0.75 | Phosphorus can contribute to algae growth |
| Sulphate | parts per million | no more than 500 * | 50 | 31 to 75 | 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 2 | Does not always meet the guideline |
| Heterotrophic Plate Count | CFU per mL | no guideline | 2 | <1 to 97 | - |
| Disinfection By-Products | |||||
| Aldehydes | parts per billion | no guideline | 19.3 | 7.8 to 32.5 | - |
| Bromodichloromethane | parts per billion | no guideline | 3.0 | 1.0 to 5.3 | - |
| Haloacetic acids | parts per billion | no more than 80 | 22 | 6 to 42 | Meets the guideline |
| Trihalomethanes | parts per billion | no more than 100 | 31 | 9 to 58 | Meets the guideline |
| Total Metals | |||||
| Aluminum | parts per million | no guideline | 0.0096 | 0.0027 to 0.0860 | - |
| 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 | 0.0005 | 0.0004 to <0.0010 | Meets the guideline |
| Barium | parts per million | no more than 1 | 0.0151 | 0.0126 to 0.0201 | Meets the guideline |
| Beryllium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.00003 | <0.00003 to <0.00010 | - |
| Bismuth | parts per million | no guideline | <0.000050 | <0.000050 to <0.000050 | - |
| Boron | parts per million | no more than 5 | 0.0034 | <0.00208 to 0.0150 | Meets the guideline |
| Cadmium | parts per million | no more than 0.005 | <0.00060 | <0.000005 to <0.00060 | Meets the guideline |
| Calcium | parts per million | no guideline | 22.5 | 19.3 to 26.7 | Contributes to hardness |
| Cesium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.000010 | <0.000010 to <0.000010 | - |
| Chromium | parts per million | no more than 0.05 | 0.00025 | <0.00004 to 0.01210 | Meets the guideline |
| Chromium VI | parts per million | no guideline | <0.001 | <0.001 to 0.001 | - |
| Cobalt | parts per million | no guideline | 0.00033 | 0.00001 to 0.00114 | - |
| Copper | parts per million | no more than 1.0 * | 0.03661 | 0.00059 to 0.19844 | Meets the guideline |
| Iron | parts per million | no more than 0.3 * | 0.057 | 0.004 to 0.930 | Does not always meet the guideline |
| Lead | parts per million | no more than 0.010 | 0.00017 | <0.00005 to 0.00180 | Meets the guideline |
| Lithium | parts per million | no guideline | 0.0020 | 0.0016 to 0.0028 | - |
| Magnesium | parts per million | no guideline | 6.62 | 5.55 to 7.69 | Contributes to hardness |
| Manganese | parts per million | no more than 0.05 * | 0.0234 | 0.0036 to 0.2760 | Does not always meet the guideline |
| Mercury | parts per billion | no more than 1 | 0.0005 | <0.0005 to 0.0023 | Meets the guideline |
| Molybdenum | parts per million | no guideline | <0.00002 | <0.00002 to 0.00010 | - |
| Nickel | parts per million | no guideline | 0.0023 | 0.0012 to 0.0298 | - |
| Potassium | parts per million | no guideline | 1.29 | 0.99 to 1.51 | - |
| Rubidium | parts per million | no guideline | 0.00163 | 0.00150 to 0.00178 | - |
| Selenium | parts per million | no more than 0.05 | 0.00013 | 0.00002 to 0.00038 | Meets the guideline |
| Silicon | parts per million | no guideline | 3.13 | 2.75 to 3.35 | - |
| Silver | parts per million | no guideline | <0.000010 | <0.000010 to <0.000010 | - |
| Sodium | parts per million | no more than 200 * | 32.8 | 28.5 to 38.6 | Meets the guideline |
| Strontium | parts per million | no guideline | 0.0397 | 0.0350 to 0.0464 | - |
| Tellurium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.00020 | <0.00020 to <0.00020 | - |
| Thallium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.000010 | <0.000010 to <0.000016 | - |
| Thorium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.00010 | <0.00010 to <0.00010 | - |
| Tin | parts per million | no guideline | 0.000019 | <0.000025 to 0.000130 | - |
| Titanium | parts per million | no guideline | 0.000078 | <0.000012 to 0.000420 | - |
| Tungsten | parts per million | no guideline | <0.00010 | <0.00010 to <0.00010 | - |
| Uranium | parts per million | no more than 0.02 | <0.00060 | <0.00001 to <0.00060 | Meets the guideline |
| Vanadium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.00050 | <0.000011 to <0.00050 | - |
| Zinc | parts per million | no more than 5.0 * | 0.00441 | 0.00028 to 0.0553 | Meets the guideline |
| Zirconium | parts per million | no guideline | <0.000060 | <0.000060 to <0.000060 | - |
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
Data reported was collected from a combination of MacLean, Hurst, and McPhillips Pumping Station Discharges, 57 distribution system locations, and/or Branch I at McPhillips and Branch II at Hurst.
Bacterial testing
| What is being measured | Requirement | Our test results | Comments |
| Number of total coliform bacteria tests in year | 2028 samples/year | 3,164 | |
| Number of times that total coliform bacteria show up in a test | none detectable per 100 mL | 0.22% (7 positive tests) |
All resamples were negative and met the operating licence requirements |
| Number of Escherichia coli bacteria tests in year | 2028 samples/year | 3,164 | |
| Number of times that Escherichia coli bacteria show up in a test | none detectable per 100 mL | 0.00% (0 positive tests) |
|
| Number of heterotrophic (bacteria) plate count (HPC) tests done | no requirement | 2,218 | Heterotrophic plate count testing is not required under the operating licence |
Requirements from City of Winnipeg Operating Licence PWS-09-412-01
Data reported was collected from 57 distribution system locations and MacLean, Hurst, and McPhillips Pumping Station Discharges