Health Unit Water Testing
Bacterial water contamination is a serious issue that has ramifications for human health. The importance of a Health Unit water test cannot be understated as it can identify potential for illness due to bacteria present in water. When submitting a water sample to a Public Health Unit in the province of Ontario, do you know what is being tested for? Do you assume that the safety of the water is being tested for and the results are a good determination of overall drinking water quality? Does a good test result put your mind at ease that the water is safe for consumption? 

Bacteria in Water
Education
E-Coli and Total Coliforms are the only two parameters tested for in a Health Unit water sample and they can cause illness with severe cases resulting in fatalities. The Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines (CDWQG) contain 97 parameters with minimum safety levels of which E-Coli and Total Coliform are only two of those parameters. The remaining 95 parameters are not part of a Health Unit water test.

There are 97 CDWQG Parameters in Canada
Only 2 are Tested for at Public Health Units

Municipalities are required to test and maintain drinking water standards. This process identifies the presence of contaminants as it involves daily routine monitoring and reporting. What happens when you step out of the city limits and venture into the country? 

There is no standard regulation for private facilities and owners are left on their own for monitoring water quality. The Health Unit test is free for all private residence owners and is often mistaken by the public to be similar to or the same as municipal testing. 

Drinking Water IdeasCommentary
Experience has shown that when many people receive good test results, they believe the water is safe to drink and then forget about it until next year when they may or may not sample again. A calendar year has changing weather patterns, temperature and movement of water. It is important to remember that a Health Unit sample is a picture of one day in the year. What changes in the other 364 might affect the quality of your water?

Rural Ontario is a vast area with varying topography and water quality. Contaminants such as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Water Hardness, Sulphates, Chlorides, Manganese, Phosphorus Herbicides, Pesticides, Oil Residuals and many others can be present in levels that can exceed the CDWG guidelines. One example of this; safe TDS levels are less than 500 ppm with greater than 1000 ppm and above not recommended for consumption. Clear and virtually invisible in water, TDS is not a requirement for testing at the Health Unit.
 
Total Dissolved Solids

TDS on Manitoulin Island
Water testing by an accredited laboratory in the Manitoulin Island area has identified levels exceeding 10,000 ppm with ranges from 1,000 ppm - 3,000 ppm being common. All of these tests have passed the Health Unit test as they contained no E-Coli or Coliform but failed the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines. 

Health Unit Water Testing Bottle
Real Estate Considerations
Consider the impact of this for real estate transactions. Bacteria (E-Coli & Coliform) are often the only requirement for the water testing component of the sale by lending institutions. A TDS level of 5000 ppm can go undetected in the purchase of a home unbeknownst to the buyer or seller even with a completed Health Unit test indicating no significant evidence of bacterial contamination.

CheckBest Practice Recommendation
A Health Unit Water Test is not a statement of the overall drinking water quality. The next time you take a sample to the Health Unit remember that it is a bacterial test and not a complete analysis of overall water safety or drink ability. Consult a qualified Water Treatment Professional for advice on additional water testing options.


Volume 2 – Issue 2 Wahl H2O - Water Awareness
Copyright 2017 Jeff Wahl – Wahl Water | All Rights Reserved
Contact Jeff via email [email protected]

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Hill Laboratories

Date 7/8/2021

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