Water Quality Information

There is one thing that is certain; water will contain a memory of everything it touches with indifference.

The quality of your water is defined by what it has come in contact with. The Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines were developed to assist municipalities and their citizens to determine if their water met Health and Aesthetic parameters. For a detailed list of these parameters see the following website: Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality

Water quality has as many definitions as there are individuals. Each individual describes water quality based on their experience, tastes, standards, knowledge, understanding, perceptions, Government guidelines, concerns etc.

The motivation to treat your water may be for

Health concerns: Can cause illness with short or long term exposure
a) Does not meet Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines for Health parameters
b) Pathogens
c) Bacteria
d) Heavy metals: Lead, Arsenic, Mercury
e) Chlorine By products: Trihalomethane THM, Haloacetic Acids HAA
f) Radionuclides: Uranium , Radon
g) Nitrates: Blue babies syndrome

Water preferences:
Water preferences are subjective and vary with each individual. People can be motivated to improve their water because it does not meet their standards or they want the character of their water to be as close to its natural state before it has been attacked by pumps, chemicals, pipes, unwanted ingredients etc.

"Water Treatment is about providing "character of water" that you want to enjoy and experience"

1. Trust
2. Taste
3. Odour
4. Colour
5. Clarity
6. Feel
7. Refreshing

Water use problems:
Causes damage to plumbing, water fixtures, unfit for household or Business purposes

a) Does not meet Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines for Aesthetics
b) Iron: staining, colour, pipe clogging
c) Manganese: staining, colour, pipe clogging
d) Hardness: scale, energy consumption, soap curd, pipe clogging
e) Iron and sulfur bacteria: slime, staining, sulfur odours
f) Hydrogen sulfide: strong odour, poisonous at high concentrations
g) Turbidity and particulates: clogging of pipes, nuisance issues with water fixtures and devices
h) pH: low pH will cause corrosion of pipes, water fixtures

Water Sources

Municipal Water
Towns and cities can be supplied by a variety of water sources ranging from wells to lakes and rivers. The character and quality of water at its source can be quite different by the time it reaches your tap. Depending on the wealth of the Municipality, the water at source might be treated with only chlorine or a whole array of filtration, pumping and chemical treatments. After this process, it will then travel through kilometers of water pipes and reservoirs before it reaches your tap. During this journey it can be exposed to the following:

• Water Treatment deficiency
• Chlorine and Chlorine By products (Trihalomethane)
• Dirt in the pipes
• Bio-Film
• Bacteria
• Sediments, particulates
• Water pipe intrusion: cracks, compromised seals
• Water pipe permeation: solvents, contaminants in surrounding soil diffusing through pipe
• Pipe corrosion products
• Pipe leaks and main ruptures
• Fire fighting and water main flushing causing high flow disturbances within pipes creating movement of accumulated
sediments, bio-films etc to your tap
• Water works personnel and equipment performing maintenance and repairs
• Cul-de sac and low flow environments in pipe systems
• Cross connections: backflow contamination from industry/homes/ bulk water removal
• Reservoir compromise

Shallow well
Dug or drilled to less than 50 ft. This water supply is directly impacted by surface conditions and contaminants. Susceptible to: Pathogens, Cysts, Turbidity, Organics, particulates, Odour, changing water quality

Deep Well
A. Bed Rock drilled wells: These wells can be drilled hundreds of feet into bed rock. They accumulate water by interfacing with as many fissures and cracks as possible. These cracks radiate in all directions including up to the surface. · Susceptible to: Pathogens, E coli, Coliform, Arsenic, Iron, Manganese, Water hardness, Odours, slime forming bacteria, Improperly maintained septic systems

B. Saturated soil/sand wells: These are deep drilled wells that penetrate into soils/clays/sand. They do not penetrate into bed rock. These wells have a natural filtration zone of sand/dirt. Less susceptible to surface contamination. · Susceptible to: Water Hardness, Particulates, Iron, Manganese, slime forming bacteria, improperly maintained septic systems

Surface Water
Water from lakes, streams, rivers and ponds are very susceptible to surface contaminants such as pathogens, turbidity, algae, cysts, colour, organics, pesticides, herbicides etc.