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.

With the recent media stories across the border in various areas of the United States, it is understandable that many Canadians have started to wonder about our water quality. While Canadian tap water is thought to be safe, some research studies have suggested that our water may not be as safe as we thought. So, here we’ll explore how to determine whether your tap water is safe.

Questions Arising From Research

The main question about the safety of Canadian tap water appears to have been triggered by a 2016 government study. This research study suggests that approximately 330,000 people each year get an acute stomach bug from drinking municipal water supplies. While most of these people will feel unwell, this condition can be serious enough for some to end up in hospital, or in an extreme case, die from their symptoms. Additionally, the research team concluded that millions of Canadians are drinking water from private systems or municipal supplies that don’t meet safety standards. This is surprising after tragedies like the case in Walkerton, Ontario.

The Extent of the Problem

While this research is bound to create concerns, the reality is that most Canadians enjoy drinking water from municipal systems that use a variety of fail safe treatment barriers designed to prevent contaminants entering water supplies. These include methods such as filters, chlorine disinfection, and UV treatments. A combination of these treatment methods has been proven to be effective in keeping tap water supplies safe. Unfortunately, while more municipalities are considering implementation of these systems, according to CBC data, many communities do not have access to clean tap water and need to rely on bottled water.

According to National Post reports, there are approximately 1.5 million Canadians who obtain drinking water from municipal systems with only a single treatment method or no treatment at all. According to research, these systems typically draw water from surface sources that have a higher tendency for contamination.

Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada does provide assurances that there is a relatively low likelihood of getting sick from drinking Canadian tap water. This risk does increase when water is obtained from a private well. Private wells should be regularly tested to ensure that the water is free of chemical, microbiological or other pollutants and is safe for human consumption.

An Additional Layer of Protection

Fortunately, homeowners don’t need to completely rely on their municipality to ensure that their drinking water is safe for human consumption. There are a number of domestic water treatment systems and devices that can provide an additional layer of protection. While there is no single type of device to remove every possible water contaminants, Ultra-Violet Disinfection systems can eliminate 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and protozoans. These point of entry systems are installed where the water supply enters your home to ensure that every tap, fixture, and appliance is supplied with clean, safe water.