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2011 Water Treatment Plant treated water quality test results

Image of water treatment plant filter tanksThe new Water Treatment Plant is a state-of-the-art, modern facility designed for performance, safety, and environmental sustainability. In the plant, the water goes through several treatment processes, including dissolved air flotation, ozonation, filtration and ultraviolet light disinfection. Fluoride and orthophosphate are also added to the water. The Water Treatment Plant allows us to:

  • comply with the requirements of our Operating Licence
  • meet increasingly strict Canadian drinking water quality guidelines,
  • virtually eliminate the risk of waterborne disease,
  • reduce levels of disinfection by-products and
  • significantly improve the taste and odour of the drinking water.

Our Operating Licence requires that we maintain a minimum free chlorine residual of 0.5 milligrams per litre in water leaving the Water Treatment Plant.

Testing

We test our water at Shoal Lake, at the Water Treatment Plant raw water inlet and at the Water Treatment Plant treated water outlet once the water has passed through all of the treatment processes. The water then flows from the water treatment plant to the three regional reservoirs and pumping stations before being distributed to Winnipeg homes and businesses.

At the Water Treatment Plant treated water sampling point we test for:

  • routine water chemistry
  • taste and odour compounds
  • metals
  • disinfection by-products
  • bacteria
What is being measured How it's measured Guideline or regulation Water Treatment Plant treated average Water Treatment Plant treated range Comments
Odour  units Inoffensive 23 20 to 35 Meets the guideline
Geosmin parts per trillion no guideline <0.5 <0.5 to <0.9 Common taste and odour compound
IPMP - 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine parts per trillion no guideline <0.5 <0.5 to <0.5 Common taste and odour compound
IBMP - 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine parts per trillion no guideline <0.5 <0.5 to <0.5 Common taste and odour compound
MIB - 2-methylisoborneol parts per trillion no guideline 0.68 <0.5 to <2.0 Common taste and odour compound
246 TCA - 2,4,6-trichloroanisole parts per trillion no guideline <0.5 <0.5 to <2.0 Common taste and odour compound
236 TCA - 2,3,6-trichloroanisole parts per trillion no guideline <0.5 <0.5 to <1.0 Common taste and odour compound
345 TCV - 3,4,5-trichloroveratrole parts per trillion no guideline <0.5 <0.5 to <0.5 Common taste and odour compound
MTBE - methyl tertiary-butyl ether parts per million no more than 0.015 <0.0005 <0.0005 to <0.0005 Meets the guideline
NDMA -
N-nitrosodimethylamine
parts per billion under review 0.0020 0.0015 to 0.0028 Guideline under review by Health Canada
Plankton (algae) count  cells/mL no guideline <100 <100 to <100 Algae contribute to odours and may cause filter clogging
Chlorophyll-a * parts per billion no guideline <1 <1 to 1  Chlorophyll is found in algae 
Microcystin LR parts per billion no more than 1.5 <0.2 <0.2 to <0.2 Meets the guideline
Turbidity (clearness) NTU no more than 1 0.19 0.1 to 0.3 Meets the guideline
Colour, True TCU no more than 15 2.0 0.5 to 7.5 Meets the guideline
Total Solids parts per million no guideline 192 169 to 217 -
Total Dissolved Solids parts per million no more than 500 178 131 to 201 Meets the guideline
Conductivity microsiemens per centimetre no guideline 320 293 to 363 Another measure of dissolved solids
pH  units between 6.5 and 8.5 7.89 7.47 to 9.27 Does not always meet the guideline
Temperature degrees Celcius no more than 15 10.2 1 to 23.9 Does not always meet the guideline
Total Alkalinity parts per million as calcium carbonate no guideline 70 56 to 80 -
Total Hardness parts per million as calcium carbonate between 80 and 100 78 71 to 86 80 to 100 parts per million is recommended
Total Organic Carbon parts per million no guideline 4 2 to 6 -
Dissolved Organic Carbon parts per million no guideline 4 2 to 6 -
Total Inorganic Carbon parts per million no guideline 13.0 <1.0 to 18.7 -
Total Phosphorus parts per million no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 Phosphorus can contribute to algae growth
Ammonia Dissolved parts per million no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to 0.014 -
Nitrate Nitrogen parts per million no more than 10 <0.050 <0.050 to 0.064 Meets the guideline
Chloride parts per million no more than 250 19 13 to 25 Meets the guideline
Sulphate parts per million no more than 500 52 46 to 61 Meets the guideline
UV Transmittance (Filtered) percent transmissivity no guideline 95.1 90.7 to 98.1 -
UV Transmittance (Unfiltered) percent transmissivity no guideline 93.6 87.9 to 96.6 -
Chlorine (free) parts per million Operating Licence – minimum 0.50 1.17 0.82 to 1.88 Meets the Operating Licence
Chlorine (total) parts per million no guideline 1.38 1.03 to 2.07 -
Trihalomethanes parts per billion no more than 100 10 <0.5 to 19 Meets the guideline
Bromodichloromethane parts per billion no more than 16 1 <0.5 to 3.1 Meets the guideline
Haloacetic acids parts per billion no more than 80 14 <5 to 24 Meets the guideline
Aldehydes parts per billion no guideline 21 10 to 35 -
Calcium parts per million no guideline 21.1 20.2 to 21.7 Contributes to hardness
Magnesium parts per million no guideline 5.9 5.36 to 6.58 Contributes to hardness
Sodium parts per million no more than 200 34.0 27.45 to 43.75 Meets the guideline
Potassium parts per million no guideline 1.2 1.11 to 1.34 -
Iron parts per million no more than 0.3 0.10 <0.01 to 0.25 Meets the guideline
Copper parts per million no more than 1.0 0.003 0.00261 to 0.00326 Meets the guideline
Lead parts per million no more than 0.01 <0.0009 <0.0009 to <0.0009 Meets the guideline
Aluminum parts per million no more than 0.1 0.006 <0.005 to 0.0067 Meets the guideline
Arsenic parts per million no more than 0.01 0.0004 0.00032 to 0.00049 Meets the guideline
Chromium parts per million no more than 0.05 <0.001 <0.001 to <0.001 Meets the guideline
Nickel parts per million no guideline 0.002 0.0021 to 0.0029 -
Cadmium parts per million no more than 0.005 <0.00001 <0.00001 to <0.00001 Meets the guideline
Manganese parts per million no more than 0.05 0.027 0.0233 to 0.0307 Meets the guideline
Zinc parts per million no more than 5.0 <0.005 <0.005 to <0.005 Meets the guideline
Mercury parts per million no more than 0.001 <0.000001 <0.000001 to <0.000001 Meets the guideline
Antimony parts per million no more than 0.006 <0.00020 <0.00020 to <0.00020 Meets the guideline
Barium parts per million no more than 1 0.0159 0.0146 to 0.0179 Meets the guideline
Beryllium parts per million no guideline <0.00020 <0.00020 to <0.00020 -
Bismuth parts per million no guideline <0.00020 <0.00020 to <0.00020 -
Boron parts per million no more than 5 0.010 <0.010 to 0.013 Meets the guideline
Cesium parts per million no guideline <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010 -
Cobalt parts per million no guideline 0.00022 0.00021 to 0.00023 -
Lithium parts per million no guideline 0.0021 <0.0020 to 0.0029 -
Molybdenum parts per million no guideline <0.00020 <0.00020 to <0.00020 -
Rubidium parts per million no guideline 0.00163 0.00156 to 0.00177 -
Selenium parts per million no more than 0.01 <0.0010 <0.0010 to <0.0010 Meets the guideline
Silicon parts per million no guideline 0.57 0.23 to 1.38 -
Silver parts per million no guideline <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010 -
Strontium parts per million no guideline 0.0394 0.0387 to 0.0411 -
Tellurium parts per million no guideline <0.00020 <0.00020 to <0.00020 -
Thallium parts per million no guideline <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010 -
Thorium parts per million no guideline <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010 -
Tin parts per million no guideline 0.00031 <0.00020 to 0.00093 -
Titanium parts per million no guideline 0.00021 <0.00020 to 0.00033 -
Tungsten parts per million no guideline <0.0010 <0.0010 to <0.0010 -
Uranium parts per million no more than 0.02 <0.00010 <0.00010 to <0.00010 Meets the guideline
Vanadium parts per million no guideline <0.00020 <0.00020 to <0.00020 -
Zirconium parts per million no more than 0.1 <0.00040 <0.00040 to <0.00040 Meets the guideline

Guidelines from 'Summary of Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality' by Health Canada, revised February 1, 2012

* Data reported was collected from Branch I at McPhillips/Branch II at Hurst

Last updated: December 8, 2020

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