Drinking Water Quality and Compliance

Annual Notice to Consumers

Introduction

The Water Security Agency and the Ministry of Environment requires that at least once each year waterworks owners provide notification to consumers of the quality of water produced and supplied as well as information on the performance of the waterworks in submitting samples as required by a Minister’s Order or Permit to Operate a waterworks.  The following is a summary of the Town of Burstall water quality and sample submission compliance record for the 2022 time period.  This report was completed on January 19th, 2023.  Readers should refer to Water Security Agency’s Municipal Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Guidelines, June 2015, EPB 502 for more information on minimum sample submission requirements and the meaning of type of sample.  Permit requirements for a specific waterworks may require more sampling than outlined in the department’s monitoring guidelines.  If consumers need more information on the nature and significance of specific water tests, for example, “what is the significance of Selenium in a water supply”, more detailed information is available from:  http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/index_e.html .

Water Quality Standards

Bacteriological Quality

Regular Samples   Regular Samples     # of Positive Regular

Parameter/Location              Limit                                       Required                Submitted                Submitted (%)

Total Coliform                      0 Organisms/100 mL          _____24_______ _____25_______  ___  __0___________

E.coli                                      0 Organisms/100 mL            _____24_______ _____25________  _____0___________

Water Disinfection –

Chlorine Residual in Distribution System for Test Results Submitted with Bacteriological Samples

                        Minimum                   Total Chlorine         Free Chlorine      # Tests      # Tests              # Adequate

Parameter    Limit                           Residual Range      Residual Range  Required   Submitted         Chlorine (%)

Chlorine        0.1 mg/L free OR

Residual        0.5 mg/L total            __.50 – 1.22___       __.26 – 1.12____         __24__      __25___            ___100%_____

 

Water Disinfection – Free Chlorine Residual for Water Entering Distribution System from Waterworks Records-From Water Treatment Plant Records

                                                                                                          Test Level              # Tests                # Tests Not Meeting

Parameter                                  Limit (mg/L)                           Range                     Performed          Requirements

Free Chlorine Residual                   at least 0.1                                   _.39– 1.29____      _365__               __0______

 

A minimum of 0.1 milligrams per litre (mg/L) free chlorine residual is required for water entering the distribution system.  Tests are normally performed on a daily basis by the waterworks operator and are to be recorded in operation records.  This data includes the number of free chlorine residual tests performed, the overall range of free chlorine residual (highest and lowest recorded values) and the number of tests and percentage of results not meeting the minimum requirement of 0.1 mg/L free chlorine residual.

Turbidity – From Water Treatment Plant Records

Parameter        Limit                   Test Level    # Tests Not Meeting      Maximum             # Tests           # Tests                                                        

                            (NTU)                   Range                  Requirements           Turbidity (NTU)   Required        Performed                           

Turbidity            __1.0__             __.06 – .38__                    0                             __.38                           __365_____          365    

Chemical – Health Category

All waterworks serving less than 5000 persons are required to submit water samples for SE’s Chemical Health category once every 2 years.  The Chemical Health category includes analysis for arsenic, barium, boron, cadmium, chromium, fluoride, lead, nitrate, selenium and uranium.

The last sample for Chemical Health analysis was submitted on February 1st, 2021.   Sample results indicated that the provincial drinking water quality standards were not exceeded

Limit                 Limit                           Sample  

Parameter        MAC(mg/L)    IMAC (mg/L)           Result(s)         

Arsenic                  0.010                                                          .00020_

Barium                   1.0                                                              .0620___

Boron                                                 5.0                                  _0.1   ___

Cadmium              0.005                                                          _.00015__

Chromium             0.05                                                            _.00019__

Fluoride (avg*)     1.5                                                              _.17        _

Lead                       0.01                                                            _.00007__

Nitrate (avg.*)       45.0                                                            _1.0     ___

Seleniuum            0.01                                                            _.00113___

Uranium                0.02                                                            _.0011___

 

General Chemical

     Aesthetic                              Sample Results 

Parameter            Objectives * (mg/L)            (average)

Alkalinity                500                                         __188_____

Bicarbonate          No Objective                         __229______

Calcium                 No Objective                         __57  ______

Carbonate             No Objective                         __0    ______

Chloride                250                                         __20.7 _____

Conductivity          No Objective                         __618______

Hardness              800                                         __221______

Magnesium          200                                         __19  ______

PH                          No Objective                         __8.2_______

Sodium                  300                                         __55________

Sulphate                500                                         __110.0_____

Total dissolved

Solids                   1500                                    ___494______

 

All waterworks serving less than 5000 persons are required to submit water samples for SE’s General Chemical category once every two years if a ground water source and once per three months every second year if a surface water or blended surface/groundwater source.  The General Chemical category includes analysis for alkalinity, bicarbonate, calcium, carbonate, chloride, conductivity, hardness (as CaCO3), magnesium, sodium, sulphate and total dissolved solids.

The last sample for General Chemical analysis was required on 2021 and submitted on February 1st, 2021. Sample results indicated that there were no exceedences of the provincial aesthetic objectives for the General Chemical category

*Objectives apply to certain characteristics of or substances found in water for human consumptive or hygienic use.  The presence of these substances will affect the acceptance of water by consumers and/or interfere with the practice of supplying good quality water.  Compliance with drinking water aesthetic objectives is not mandatory as these objectives are in the range where they do not constitute a health hazards.  The aesthetic objectives for several parameters (including hardness as CaCO3, magnesium, sodium and total dissolved solids) consider regional differences in drinking water sources and quality.

More information on water quality and sample submission performance may be obtained from:

Town of Burstall

Box 250, Burstall, Sask.  S0N 0H0

Telephone Number:  306-679-2000/ Facsimile Number:  306-679-2275

E-mail address:  [email protected]