Water Quality | City of Kawartha Lakes

Municipal drinking water is treated and tested in accordance with the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks requirements. The City meets and surpasses these requirements and provides safe, reliable drinking water. Please visit our Licensing and Regulations page for more information related to the required licensing and regulations associated with municipal drinking water.

Our water is safe to drink. Licensed Operators make sure all water goes through a purification process before it reaches your home. The steps in this process are:

screening water to remove debris
chemical treatment
filtration
disinfection
secondary disinfection once water moves into the distribution system

Flouride is not added to the drinking water in any City of Kawartha Lakes drinking water systems.

Sampling, Testing and Monitoring - Drinking Water

Sampling, testing and continual monitoring are required by legislation. To ensure the provision of safe drinking water throughout Kawartha Lakes drinking water systems, operators continuously monitor the drinking water, noting any changes. Operators also collect water samples at various points (raw, treated and distribution water), for thorough microbiological and chemical analyses.

To ensure compliance with applicable Ontario Drinking Water Regulations, and to continually provide safe drinking water to residents, businesses and visitors, the City of Kawartha Lakes drinking water is sampled, tested and monitored according to applicable legislation.

Lead Sampling

We are mandated by the Safe Drinking Water Act (O.Reg.170/03) to conduct lead sampling on our water systems. pH and Alkalinity (precursors to lead), samples are collected twice per year, once in the summer and once in the winter. We complete distribution system lead sampling once every three years. All samples are analyzed by an accredited laboratory and results are sent to the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks.

Chlorination - Why Chlorinate?

Chlorine is added to the water to kill any harmful germs. Chlorine levels in drinking water are kept well within the regulated limits and are closely monitored 24 hours a day. Chlorine is an effective way to reduce bacteria, viruses and parasites from drinking water. Chlorine also helps to reduce bacterial regrowth, biofilm and re-contamination of water as it travels from the water treatment plant and through the distribution system to your home. The majority of drinking water treatment plants in Canada use some form of chlorine to disinfect drinking water and when used properly, chlorine is a safe, effective way to disinfect drinking water. When used with modern water filtration methods, chlorine is effective against virtually all microorganisms. Chlorine is easy to apply and only small amounts of the chemical (residual) remain in the water as it travels in the distribution system (watermains and pipes) to the consumer's tap. This residual ensures that microorganisms cannot re-contaminate the water after it leaves the treatment plant. Chlorine has been used for over a century to safely disinfect water and the success of chlorine use in Canada today can be measured by the dramatic reduction and virtual elimination of waterborne diseases such as: Typhoid fever, Cholera and dysentery. Chlorine remains the disinfection choice of water treatment experts today.

Chlorine smell in the water is usually caused by the dissipation of the gas into the water or changes in temperature. Keep a covered jug of water in the fridge to reduce the taste of chlorine as the chlorine dissipates over time.

How water moves through the water treatment plant

Disinfection By-Products

Disinfection by-products (DPD) are chemicals that can be formed when chlorine is used for disinfecting drinking water.

One of the most common type of DPD found in chlorinated water is Trihalomethane (THMs). THMs are formed when chlorine or other disinfectants react with naturally occurring organic matter (vegetation, animal waste, leaves etc.) in source water. For this reason, surface water (water from lakes, rivers, streams etc.), has higher THM levels than ground water (water from aquifers and wells.) THM levels are also higher when the weather is warm and when plants and animals are active. While Trihalomethanes can be harmful to human health in large amounts over extended periods of time, the MAC (Maximum Acceptable Concentration) is set far below this limit. Sample results are carefully monitored to address THM levels.

According to the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines and the Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards, the maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) for THMs is a running annual average (of a minimum of four samples), of 100 ug/L (micrograms per litre) or milligrams per litre. The health risk at this level over a lifetime is considered extremely low. Water that meets the total THMs guideline is considered safe for all domestic uses, including drinking, bathing, showering and food preparation.

THM levels for all twenty-one drinking water systems in Kawartha Lakes are documented in the annual reports available on our Water and Wastewater Services page.

Drinking water in Kawartha Lakes is diligently treated, sampled and monitored by the operators, the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks as well as the local Health Unit to ensure it meets water quality standards.

Chloramination

There are currently two drinking water systems within The City of Kawartha Lakes that use chloramination as a treatment method to provide further disinfection throughout the water distribution system. The Bobcaygeon Drinking Water System has been using the chloramination process since 2008 and the Fenelon Falls Drinking Water System since 2020.

What are the benefits to this disinfection method?

Although there are many treatment processes that are safe and comply with regulations set out by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, the addition of chloramines is beneficial in many ways. Along with enabling our municipality to comply with more stringent regulatory standards, the treatment method reduces the amount of chlorine-related disinfection by-products – including trihalomethanes (THMs). Chloramine has also proven to be more ‘stable’ than chlorine, lasting longer in the distribution system and providing continuous disinfection to protect consumers.

Does the water taste different?

It is unlikely that you will notice a difference in taste.

Are there other municipalities using chloramination?

In Canada, it is estimated that more than a hundred municipalities are using chloramination, including larger cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, and Hamilton.

Is chloraminated water safe?

Yes. Current studies indicate that using or drinking water with regulated amounts of chloramine does not cause harmful health effects and provides protection against waterborne disease outbreaks. Chloraminated water is safe for people and animals to: drink, cook with, bathe in, and for all other general uses.

Are there any special precautions for specific members of the public?

As with chlorine, there are two groups of consumers who need to take special precautions with chloraminated water:

1) Dialysis patients. Chloramines are harmful when they go directly into the bloodstream. They must be removed from the water used in dialysis treatments, and;
2) Fish/amphibian owners. Chloramines can damage fish gill tissue and enter the red blood cells causing a sudden and severe blood disorder. They must be removed from the water prior to any contact with fish.

How does chloramine affect household plumbing, pipes, and water heaters?

Rubber parts on some household plumbing and water heaters may degrade faster than previously experienced. When replacing rubber plumbing parts, ask for chloramine-resistant parts, which are readily available. Plumbing and hardware supply stores and plumbers will be able to provide further information.

Where can I get more information?

For more information on chloramination, please visit:
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/programs/consultation-chloramines-drinking-water/document.html

Or: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/water-quality/water-talk-chloramines-drinking-water.html

For health related information please contact:
Health Canada at 1 (613) 957-2991 or the local Health Unit (HKPR) at 1 (866) 888-4577

Taste and Odour Issues

During the winter/spring when the weather is fluctuating between warm and cold, and during summer months when the temperature is warmer, residents may experience an odour or musty tasting water. Taste and odour episodes are natural. They are caused by seasonal biological changes in source water, which produce odour-causing organics that can be detected by humans at very low levels. Most municipalities in Ontario that get their water supply from surface water sources experience this problem periodically in the summer. Tap water from the municipal water supply systems remains safe to drink during these episodes.

Seasonal taste and odour in drinking water is not a threat to public health. We make every effort to reduce the impact of taste and odour episodes. Our water treatment plants are equipped with filtration systems designed to reduce the effects of taste and odour but may not eliminate it entirely. Taste and odour episodes will vary from one year to another. Should you notice a taste or odour in your water, simple home remedies, such as keeping a jug of water in the fridge or adding ice cubes or lemon juice to tap water should improve it. Running your cold water tap for a few moments can also improve the taste of your drinking water. (Tip: Worried about running extra water? Collect it and use it to water your plants.)

Chlorine can also affect the odour of drinking water. Chlorine is essential for public safety. We do our best to make sure it does not affect the taste and odour of our water. A small amount of the chemical is required to remain in the water throughout the distribution system to ensure that re-contamination does not occur once the water leaves the treatment plant. If you notice a chlorine taste or smell putting a jug of water in the fridge over night will eliminate any traces of chlorine. See below for additional information.

You can learn more about chlorine and drinking water on the Health Canada website.

Water Hardness

Water hardness refers to the amount of calcium and magnesium in water. Hardness is expressed as mg/L calcium carbonate or in grains per gallon. One grain per US gallon equals 17.1 mg/L calcium carbonate.

Water Hardness In City Of Kawartha Lakes Drinking Water Systems

Water Pressure

There are many things that can cause water pressure issues:

using a water softener with an open bypass - if you are experiencing low water pressure, try bypassing your water softener to see if clogged filters may be the issue
there has been a watermain break or other construction and repairs in your neighbourhood
a valve near your house has not been fully closed
the City is flushing watermains

If you experience a sudden loss of water pressure check the Public Notice section of our website or contact Customer Service.

Sodium in Drinking Water

Legislation dictates that owners of residential drinking water systems sample treated water for Sodium once every 60 months (5 years) unless there is an exceedance in a previous sample. In the event of an increase in sodium, sampling requirements may change based on instruction from the local Health unit.

Click below to see the most current sodium sampling results for Kawartha Lakes drinking water systems.

Sodium Levels in City Of Kawartha Lakes Drinking Water Systems