| Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about our drinking water |
Winnipeg's drinking water quality
What steps do you take to ensure our
drinking water is high-quality and safe?
- We work with the First Nation communities in the Shoal Lake area, the federal government and the provincial governments of Manitoba and Ontario to make sure that Shoal Lake, our source of water, is protected.
- We routinely test our water each step of the way, from Shoal Lake to the tap.
- We treat the water at our new state-of-the-art drinking water treatment plant.
- We disinfect the water with chlorine to kill harmful viruses and bacteria, such as E. coli.
- We use ultraviolet light to protect against waterborne parasites, such as Cryptosporidium
(crip-toe-spor-ID-ee-um) and Giardia(GEE-ar-dee-ah) . - We add orthophosphate to the water to reduce the amount of lead getting into tap water from lead pipes.
We also add fluoride to the water to help prevent tooth decay.
Is drinking water quality regulated?
Yes. Manitoba Health and Manitoba Water Stewardship regulate the quality of our drinking water using the:
Manitoba Drinking Water Safety Act 
- The Act requires that we submit an annual report of our water supply system to the Office of Drinking Water and post a copy.
- Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality
- The guidelines, published by Health Canada, recommend limits for substances and conditions affecting drinking water quality.
- A panel of experts, including a representative from our province, keeps these guidelines up-to-date.
Does our drinking water meet the Canadian drinking water quality guidelines?
Yes. Our water quality is now higher than the drinking water guidelines set out by Health Canada.
What tests do you do to ensure water quality?
Our testing program includes over 46 different types of tests at over 70 different places throughout the year. Staff use approved test methods and have backgrounds in science, such as chemistry and engineering.
- We test for chlorine at the three pumping stations in the city, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We test the chlorine levels at other places, such as water mains, every week.
- We take weekly samples for bacteria at over 60 places throughout the system and test them according to provincial regulations. Each year, we test more than 3,100 water samples for bacteria – this is 70% more than required. Test results for our water have always been within the acceptable range for bacteria. A nationally accredited laboratory conducts the bacteria tests.
- We test at least monthly for the microscopic parasites, Cryptosporidium and Giardia, even though there is no requirement for this type of testing. These parasites are found in most rivers and lakes. A nationally accredited laboratory recognized internationally as expert in the study of parasites tests our water samples for Cryptosporidium and Giardia.
- We monitor to make sure that the lead control program is effective.
- We send test results to the Province.
- We immediately report results that might affect public health to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority's Medical Officer of Health.
Because water quality is so important, we do more testing than the provincial government requires.
Is additional water quality information available for the drinking water system?
Yes. We have historical water quality information available for Shoal Lake, Deacon Reservoir and distributed water, as well as annual Winnipeg drinking water quality compliance and customer reports archives.
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This page was last updated on March 16, 2011 |
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