With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley. 

Water is all around us, but this doesn’t mean that many of us fully understand it. Whether you’re considering water treatment options or simply want to have confidence in your water quality, you’re likely to have questions. So, here we’ll answer some frequently asked water questions.

Are There Bugs In Water?

Raw water can contain a number of microorganisms. While some of these are healthy, there are some that are not so healthy. Bacteria, viruses and protozoan parasites are some of the common disease causing organisms found in water supplies. Waterborne pathogenic bacteria include Salmonella, Legionella, Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, and Vibrio cholerae. Waterborne viruses include Hepatitis A, while common protozoan parasites include Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

What Contaminants are Common in Drinking Water From Private Wells or Dugouts?

If your drinking water is sourced from a private supply, such as a well or dugout, you will be responsible for ensuring that your water is safe. Prairie water is generally from shallow water sources that provide an ideal environment for algae growth, due to the nutrient rich water. Campylobacter is a common type of bacteria in Prairie water. There are over 200 reported cases of campylobacteriosis each year in Saskatchewan, while Giardia causes over 100 cases of Beaver Fever each year in the area.

In a number of Agriculture Canada cited studies, 30 to 35 percent of the wells in Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Alberta exceed the safe bacteria levels, with 92 percent of the private wells in Alberta and 99 percent in Saskatchewan exceeding the Canadian guidelines for health and non health parameters. This includes issues such as hardness, manganese, sodium, sulfate, iron, colour and dissolved organic carbon. Additionally, water from shallow sources can contain high levels of pesticides from runoff, arsenic, turbidity, and cyanobacteria. These contaminants are not only unhealthy, but make the water difficult to treat without large quantities of disinfectant such as chlorine.

How Often Should Well or Dugout Drinking Water Be Tested?

A basic water test package for potability will assess the coliform bacteria, pH, nitrates, sodium, fluoride, iron, sulphate and manganese levels. The testing will also measure the total dissolved solids and water hardness. If there is a possibility of additional contamination, the testing could include selenium, arsenic, pesticides or uranium.

It is recommended that domestic water supplies are tested at least once each year, with surface water, and shallow wells tested more frequently. You should test your surface water sources once in summer and again in winter at a minimum due to the seasonal variation. Water should be tested both at the tap and the source to ensure consistent water quality and to confirm that your treatment system is offering adequate protection.

Who is Responsible for the Provision of Safe Drinking Water?

Although there are legislative water standards in Europe and the United States, there are only guidelines in place in Canada. These have been negotiated between provincial and federal agencies, which produced less stringent guidelines compared to Europe and America.

Here each territorial and provincial government has the responsibility for drinking water provisions. The only exception is national parks, military bases, and native reservations, which are under federal jurisdiction. Since Canada has delegated the water responsibility to provincial agencies, there are some, such as those with low populations that have difficulties in dealing with complicated water problems and issues. For example, the recommendation for TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) in Canada is a maximum of 500 milligrams per litre, but the Saskatchewan recommendation is 1,500 milligrams due to the naturally high TDS levels in the area.

What Treatment Methods Are Employed for Safe Drinking Water? 

Conventional water treatment methods include sedimentation, coagulation, filtration and finally disinfection. Sedimentation and coagulation are used to remove the larger particles from the water, while filtration can remove smaller substances include dissolved material and viruses. Generally, filtration will not be sufficient for eliminating all bacteria and viruses, so disinfection with chlorine is a final step in the treatment process. There are other disinfection methods such as UV that are becoming more popular.

What Home Water Treatment Methods Are Available?

Where drinking water standards are stringently followed, most people do not need water treatment, but as an extra precaution, or where the treatment facilities may not adhere to proper standards, additional treatment is required. Fortunately, there are a number of treatment options to remove many types of contaminants.

To determine the most appropriate water treatment system, you will need to test your raw water. This will allow you to assess what contaminants need to be removed and base your treatment method on the results.

The most efficient water treatment system is Reverse Osmosis that can remove up to 99.9% of waterborne contaminants. These systems use pre-filters that need to be changed regularly, but are otherwise almost maintenance free. Unfortunately, the semi permeable membrane of an RO system can easily become clogged when concentrations of TDS are particularly high, so you may need a system with additional filters.

Should I Get a Water Softener for Hard Water?

Even if your water is treated at a sophisticated facility, it may still have a high mineral content. This is referred to as Hard Water, and while it is not considered dangerous, it can cause problems around your home. Hard water can allow mineral deposits to accumulate as scale inside your pipes, fixtures, and water using appliances. It can also cause laundry and bathing problems as the minerals interfere with the lathering of soaps, detergents, and shampoos. For this reason, water softeners are a popular method of domestic water treatment. Water softeners use ion exchange to remove the magnesium, calcium, and iron and replace it with sodium or potassium ions. This will immediately improve your water quality and help to prolong the lifespan of your appliances.

If you have concerns about your water quality, you should speak to a water treatment professional. An experienced technician can not only test your water to determine the contaminant levels, but also guide you through the treatment options that are best suited to the characteristics of your water supply.