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2016 Shoal Lake water quality test results

Image of Shoal Lake inletOur staff test Shoal Lake and the intake at the west end of Indian Bay (where the water enters the aqueduct) as part of our routine water quality testing program.

For more information on Winnipeg's drinking water and our impact on Shoal Lake, visit the web page on Shoal Lake - Our Water Source.

Testing

We take samples at the intake every week during the open water season and every two weeks during the rest of the year. We also take samples from the Shoal Lake watershed from May to October. We test the intake samples for:

  • routine water chemistry
  • metals
  • disinfection by-products
  • bacteria and protozoa
  • pesticides, herbicides and PCBs

By taking these samples, we track seasonal changes in water quality and determine the effects (if any) of human activity within the Shoal Lake watershed.

Water entering the aqueduct intake passes through screens before being treated by chlorine on a periodic basis for slime and Zebra mussel control. The aqueduct brings water to Deacon Reservoir before entering the Water Treatment Plant. There, we test both the raw and treated water before the water is distributed to Winnipeg homes and businesses.

Test results are from January 1 to December 31, 2016

What is being measured How it's measured Guideline or regulation Shoal Lake average Shoal Lake range Comments
Miscellaneous
Carbon, Dissolved Organic parts per million no guideline 10.2 8.1 to 13.4 -
Carbon, Total Organic parts per million no guideline 10.9 8.3 to 14.4 -
Chlorophyll-a parts per billion no guideline 5 2 to 11 Chlorophyll is found in algae
Colour, True TCU no more than 15 * 6 1 to 13 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Conductivity microsiemens per centimetre no guideline 154 145 to 168 Another measure of dissolved solids
Odour  units inoffensive 114 75 to 200 Raw water - guideline does not apply
pH  units between 6.5 and 8.5 8.20 7.04 to 8.91 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Plankton (algae) count  cells/mL no guideline 44,425 700 to 208,900 Algae contribute to odours and may cause filter clogging
Solids, Total parts per million no guideline 113 99 to 138 -
Solids, Total Dissolved parts per million no more than 500 * 99 88 to 113 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Temperature degrees Celcius no more than 15 * 10.3 1.1 to 22.5 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Turbidity (clearness) NTU no guideline 1.26 0.32 to 4.64 -
Anions and Nutrients
Alkalinity, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate no guideline 71 66 to 81 -
Hardness, Total parts per million as calcium carbonate no guideline 75 70 to 84 -
Chloride parts per million no more than 250 * 1.8 1.5 to 2.1 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Fluoride parts per million no more than 1.5 0.11 0.08 to 0.14 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Nitrate Nitrogen parts per million no more than 10 0.008 <0.003 to 0.016 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Perchlorate parts per billion no guideline <0.2 <0.2 to <0.2 -
Phosphorus, Dissolved Reactive parts per billion no guideline 3 <1 to <10 -
Phosphorus, Total parts per billion no guideline 19.0 6.0 to 37.4 Phosphorus can contribute to algae growth
Sulphate parts per million no more than 500 * <2 <2 to <2 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) parts per million no guideline 0.8 0.4 to 2.9 TKN is a combination of ammonia and organic nitrogen
Bacteria
Escherichia Coli MPN per 100 mL no guideline <1 <1 to 1 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Total Coliforms MPN per 100 mL no guideline 87 <1 to >200 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Heterotrophic Plate Count CFU per mL no guideline 145 6 to >300 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Enteric Protozoa
Cryptosporidium oocysts per 100 L no guideline <0.9 <0.9 to <2.0 12 samples taken in 2016
Giardia cysts per 100 L no guideline <0.9 <0.9 to <2.0 12 samples taken in 2016
Disinfection By-Products
Aldehydes parts per billion no guideline 3.6 <0.5 to 7.0 -
Bromodichloromethane parts per billion no guideline <0.4 <0.4 to 1.0 -
Haloacetic acids parts per billion no more than 80 <3 <3 to <3 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Trihalomethanes parts per billion no more than 100 1.5 <0.9 to 4.0 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Total Metals
Aluminum parts per million no guideline 0.0081 0.0017 to 0.0432 -
Antimony parts per million no more than 0.006 <0.0005 <0.0005 to <0.0005 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Arsenic parts per million no more than 0.010 0.0010 0.0007 to 0.0012 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Boron parts per million no more than 5 0.0187 0.0074 to 0.0509 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Cadmium parts per million no more than 0.005 <0.0004 <0.0004 to <0.0004 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Calcium parts per million no guideline 19.7 17.1 to 22.4 Contributes to hardness
Chromium parts per million no more than 0.05 <0.0007 <0.0007 to 0.0009 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Chromium VI parts per billion no guideline 2 <1 to <10 -
Copper parts per million no more than 1.0 * 0.0005 <0.0003 to 0.0010 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Iron parts per million no more than 0.3 * 0.024 <0.008 to 0.064 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Lead parts per million no more than 0.010 <0.0004 <0.0004 to 0.0005 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Magnesium parts per million no guideline 5.81 5.16 to 6.83 Contributes to hardness
Manganese parts per million no more than 0.05 * 0.0126 0.0024 to 0.0486 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Mercury parts per trillion no more than 1000 0.6 <0.5 to 0.9 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Nickel parts per million no guideline 0.0007 0.0003 to 0.0018 -
Potassium parts per million no guideline 1.18 1.05 to 1.37 -
Sodium parts per million no more than 200 * 2.05 1.59 to 2.48 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Uranium parts per million no more than 0.02 <0.0005 <0.0005 to <0.0005 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Zinc parts per million no more than 5.0 * 0.0020 <0.0005 to 0.0061 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Zirconium parts per million no guideline <0.0005 <0.0005 to 0.0005 -
Pesticides
Alachlor parts per billion no guideline <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 -
Aldrin parts per billion no guideline <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 -
alpha-BHC parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
alpha-Chlordane parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
alpha-Endosulfan parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Atrazine parts per billion no more than 5 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Azinphosmethyl parts per billion no more than 20 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
beta-BHC parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
beta-Endosulfan parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.020 -
Carbofuran parts per billion no more than 90 <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Chlorpyrifos parts per billion no more than 90 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
delta-BHC parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Diazinon parts per billion no more than 20 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Diclofop-methyl parts per billion no more than 9 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Dieldrin parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Dimethoate parts per billion no more than 20 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Endrin parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Eptam parts per billion no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 -
gamma-Chlordane parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Heptachlor parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Heptachlor Epoxide parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Lindane (gamma-BHC) parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Malathion parts per billion no more than 190 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Methoxychlor parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Methyl Parathion parts per billion no guideline <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 -
Metribuzin parts per billion no more than 80 <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Mirex parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
o,p-DDD parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
o,p-DDE parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
o,p-DDT parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
p,p-DDD parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
p,p-DDE parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
p,p-DDT parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Parathion parts per billion no guideline <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 -
Propachlor parts per billion no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 -
Propanil parts per billion no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 -
Propoxur parts per billion no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 -
Simazine parts per billion no more than 10 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Terbufos parts per billion no more than 1 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Triallate parts per billion no guideline <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 -
Trichlopyr parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
Trifluralin parts per billion no more than 45 <0.030 <0.030 to <0.030 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Arochlor 1016 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1221 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1232 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1242 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1248 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1254 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1260 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 -
Phenoxy Acid Herbicides
2,4,5-T parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
2,4,5-TP parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
2,4-D parts per billion no more than 100 <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 Raw water - guideline does not apply
2,4-DB parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
2,4-DP parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
Bromoxynil parts per billion no more than 5 <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Dicamba parts per billion no more than 120 <0.0060 <0.0060 to <0.0070 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Dinoseb parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
MCPA parts per billion no more than 100 <0.025 <0.025 to <0.025 Raw water - guideline does not apply
MCPB parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
Mecoprop parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
Picloram parts per billion no more than 190 <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 Raw water - guideline does not apply

Note: Pesticides, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, and Phenoxy Acid Herbicides are only analysed from May to October.

Note: Where value is expressed as less than (<), the value is halved and used in the calculations, where value is expressed as (>), 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, October 2014

Last updated: April 15, 2024

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