Where and when can I drop off my water sample?

Sample bottles for bacterial analysis of private wells may be picked up and dropped off at the following locations:

Newmarket:	Tannery Building, 2nd Floor 465 Davis Drive, Suite 240
Markham:	Public Health Branch Offices, 4261 Highway 7 East, Suite B6-9 (street level) Unionville
Richmond Hill:	York Region South Services Centre 50 High Tech Road 2nd Floor
Georgina:	Georgina Civic Centre (Tuesday and Thursday only from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.) 26557 Civic Centre Road Keswick
*NEW*       PICK-UP Locations ONLY (see below)   Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
King:	Township of King 2075 King Road King City   Doctor William Laceby Nobleton Arena and Community Centre 15 Old King Road Nobleton   The Trisan Centre  25 Dillane Drive, Schomberg
East Gwillimbury:	Town of East Gwillimbury Civic Centre  19000 Leslie Street Sharon
Town of Georgina:	Pefferlaw Library 76 Pete's Lane Pefferlaw

Collection Days:  Samples can be dropped off Monday through Wednesday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Thursday between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. (excluding Georgina Civic Centre). Collection days may vary due to holidays and closures. If in doubt, call York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653, TTY 1-866-252-9933. Samples may also be dropped off directly to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Laboratory at 81 Resources Road in Toronto.

Completing the Form: The data sheet that accompanies the sample bottle must be completed in full or your water will not be tested.

Results: The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Laboratory will mail the results within 5 to 10 days. You can also pick up the results directly from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Laboratory at 81 Resources Road in Toronto.

New! The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Laboratory also has an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System which enables a private citizen to obtain the results for their well water by phoning 1-877-723-3426 and entering the PIN number from their bottle. The IVR system allows you to obtain the result of a water test in most cases within three days from submission (4 to 5 business days if deposited at any of the Health Services offices.) The IVR system is available 24 hours per day 7 days per week.

Well water sample results can also be interpreted by York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653, TTY 1-866-252-9933.

Municipally treated water is routinely tested by the Region and the local municipality. Water samples from a municipal supply will not be analysed by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Laboratory.

How often should I sample my well?

You are responsible for maintaining and monitoring your own well. The only way to make sure that your well water supply is safe to drink is to test it regularly. Testing for bacteria in well water is done at no cost to you.

It is recommended that well water be tested:

1. After well construction is completed and the well has been disinfected,
2. When a well has not been in use for long periods, e.g., seasonal residences, and
3. 2-3 times during the year, preferably after a heavy rain or snow melt.

It is also recommended that 3 samples are taken 1-3 weeks apart to determine well water quality. Please note that the bacterial stability of water cannot always be determined from a single sample.

Bacterial testing does not provide information on the chemical water quality of your well water supply. If you are concerned about chemical contamination, you can have your water tested for chemicals by a private laboratory at your expense. A list of private labs is available from the Ministry of the Environment website at www.ene.gov.on.ca. You can also call the York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653, TTY 1-866-252-9933 and speak to a Public Health Inspector for a list of private labs.

How do I take a water sample properly?

 

Use the sampling bottles provided by the laboratory. These will be sterile, 250-ml bottles containing the preservative sodium thiosulphate (white powder) to prevent the collected water from degrading. Do not touch or handle the preservative. Do not rinse the bottle as this will remove some or all of the preservative and ruin the sample.

Choose an inside tap that is not connected to a treatment device such as a chlorinator or ultra-violet light treatment system. Then follow the sampling procedure below:

 

1.       Water sample bottles can be obtained from the York Region Health Services offices and the Town of Georgina office.  Unused water sample bottles can be kept as long as they have not been opened.

 

2.       Do not open the sample bottle until you are ready to take the sample. Do not remove the white powder or rinse the bottle.

 

3.       Disconnect or by-pass all water treatment devices e.g. water softeners and carbon filters. Consult the manufacturer's instructions for the correct procedure.

 

4.       If possible, remove the aerator and washer from the end of the tap. Clean the end of the tap and threads with either a bleach and water solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) or rubbing alcohol swab.  If you are unable to remove the aerator from the end of the tap, submerge the end of the tap with a container filled with a bleach and water solution. 

 

5.       Run the COLD WATER tap for three to five minutes.

 

6.       Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before you collect the water sample.

 

7.       Unscrew the cap from the water sample bottle.  Be sure not to contaminate the inside of the cap or the neck of the sample bottle by touching these areas or placing the cap on the counter. If you accidentally touch the inside of the lid or the neck of the bottle it must be discarded and a new sample collected.

 

8.       Fill the bottle to the 200ml waterline and replace the cap.  Remember to re-install the aerator and washer on the tap and check for proper operation. Clean and disinfect the aerator prior to reattaching it to the tap. 

 

9.       Complete the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Laboratory Services "Bacteriological Analysis of Drinking Water for Private Citizen, SINGLE HOUSEHOLD ONLY" form.  Include your telephone number with area code.  Water will not be tested if this form is not completely and accurately filled in.

 

10.   Water samples must be kept cold.  Keep the filled bottle refrigerated until you are ready to bring it to the appropriate drop-off location.  When ready, place the filled bottle in an insulated cooler with ice packs and transport to the nearest location listed below. 

 

Please Note: Results are unreliable if sample was improperly collected or stored, or took more than 48 hours to reach the laboratory. If the water sample takes more than 48 hours to reach the laboratory, it will not be tested.

What does my water result mean?

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Laboratory tests private well water for the presence of both total coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) which are indicators of bacterial contamination.

Total coliforms include bacteria that are always present in animal wastes and sewage. They are also found in soil and vegetation. Their presence may indicate that surface water is entering your well.

E. coli are found only in the digestive systems of humans and animals. Their presence in your well water is usually the result of human or animal waste contamination from a nearby source.

Test Result Outcomes

Type of Bacterial Count	Water Test Result	Significance	Interpretation
Total coliform per 100 ml E. coli per 100 ml	5 or less 0	No significant evidence of bacterial contamination	Three consecutive samples, taken 1-3 weeks apart with this result are needed to determine the stability of the well water supply.
Total coliform per 100 ml E. coli per 100 ml	More than 5 0	Significant evidence of bacterial contamination	May be unsafe to drink. Call York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653
E. coli per 100 ml	Greater than 0	Unsafe to drink Human or animal waste contamination	Unsafe to drink. Consult York Region  Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653 for information immediately.
bacteria	EST (estimated)	Unsafe to drink	Unsafe for drinking unless boiled or treated
bacteria	O/G (overgrown)	Unsafe to drink	Unsafe for drinking unless boiled or treated

 

My water is unsafe to drink. What can I do until the problem is solved?

If your well water test result shows unacceptable levels of bacteria, stop drinking it! Boil or chlorinate the well water before using it for drinking, brushing your teeth, using water in recipes, making ice, rinsing contact lenses, and washing food or dishes. You can also use alternative water sources such as bottled water or municipal water if available. Water should always be refrigerated until it is used.

Emergency Water Treatment

 

Boil it – Bring water to a boil and boil for one minute. After it has cooled pour the water repeatedly from one clean container to another to eliminate the flat taste. Note: Boiling water is effective for bacterial contamination only. Chemicals already present in the water will become more concentrated with boiling.   Chlorinate it – Add 1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon) of unscented liquid household bleach to 4 litres (one gallon) of water. Mix well and allow the water to stand for 15 minutes.

Longer-term measures

• Disinfect the well and the entire household plumbing system (see How do I disinfect my well?)
• Resample your water 3-4 days after chlorination of the well. If the test is clear, wait one week and retest. Three consecutive safe tests indicate that the treatment was effective. If bacteria are still present, repeat chlorination and retest.

Remember…

Chlorination will disinfect a well and water system. However, unless the source of the bacterial contamination is found and corrected, the problem will continue to reoccur. Chlorination will not solve the problem. In some cases a treatment device may be necessary. For more information regarding water treatment devices visit the Ontario Ministry of Environment website at www.ene.gov.on.ca.

Chronic problems may require an inspection of your well and plumbing system to locate problems that may be able to be fixed. The well should be assessed to determine possible causes of the poor water quality results, such as surface water entering the top of the well. Contact a licensed well professional for assistance with this task. Only a professional should enter a well.

How do I disinfect my well?

 

1.       Draw off a supply of drinking water for overnight use, before disinfecting the well. See Safe Water Fact Sheet #2 - Emergency Water Treatment.

 

2.       Disconnect the carbon filter on your system, if applicable, since the filter will tend to remove the chlorine from the water.

 

3.       Add to your well the proper amount of required chlorine (see below for Method for Calculating amount of Bleach Needed). Ensure that the household bleach used contains 5% to 5.25% available chlorine, without additives i.e. lemon scent.

 

Mix the chlorine with several litres of water before adding it to the well. The vent hole on a drilled well may provide a place to pour in the solution.

 

4.       With a garden hose connected to an outside tap, turn on the water until the odour of the chlorine is detected. Gradually extend the garden hose into the entire depth of the well to ensure complete disinfection. Circulate for 5-10 minutes.

 

5.       Turn on all inside taps (hot and cold) to disinfect the entire water distribution system inside the home. Close all taps once the chlorine smell is detected. Let sit for 12 hours.

 

6.       Drain the water system using a garden hose until the chlorine odour is no longer present (being careful not to run the well dry). Drain the water into a drainage ditch, not into drains of septic systems.

 

Method for Calculating Amount of Bleach Needed

The depth of water in the well will be somewhat less than the total depth of the well. For the following calculation, use the depth of water, if known; otherwise use the total depth of the well. The total depth may be found on the well record.

Using the table below, estimate the volume of water in the well, and the amount of bleach required.

Table 1: Volume of Bleach Required Per 10 ft or 3 Metres of Water Depth using 5.0% - 5.25% Household Bleach (unscented)

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resampling

 

Boil or chlorinate all drinking water until you receive a satisfactory laboratory report. See Safe Water Fact Sheet #2 - Emergency Water Treatment.

 

1.       Take a water sample (see Safe Water Fact Sheet #3: Private Well Water Sampling Procedure) for bacteriological testing 3-4 days after the chlorination of the well.

 

2.       If the test is clear, wait one week and retest. Two consecutive safe tests indicate that the treatment was effective.

 

3.       If bacteria are still present, repeat chlorination and retest.

 

Remember…

 

Chlorination will disinfect a well and water system. However, unless the source of the bacterial contamination is found and corrected, the problem will continue to recur and chlorination will not solve the problem. In some cases, a new well may have to be constructed or a water treatment device may have to be installed.

 

Please Note: Results are unreliable if the sample was improperly collected or stored, or took more than 48 hours to reach the laboratory. If the water sample takes more than 48 hours to reach the laboratory, it will not be tested.

 

Only a professional should enter a well. Read the label before using chemical disinfectants.

If you are concerned about chemical contamination of your well water, you can have your water tested for chemicals by a private laboratory at your expense. A list of private labs is available from the Ministry of the Environment website at www.ene.gov.on.ca. You can also call York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653, TTY 1-866-252-9933 and speak to a Public Health Inspector for a list of private labs that test for chemicals in well water.

Can I get my well water tested for nitrates??

Nitrates are tasteless, colourless and odourless. High levels of nitrates in well water have been known to cause blue-baby syndrome in infants.

Families with small children or expectant mothers can have their well water tested for nitrates, nitrites through a private lab as the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care no longer accept well water samples for nitrate testing.  A list of private labs is available from the Ministry of the Environment website at www.ene.gov.on.ca. You can also call  York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653, TTY 1-866-252-9933 and speak to a Public Health Inspector for a list of private labs that test for nitrates in well water. 

 

What's wrong with my water?

The chart below gives an overview of some common water problems and remedies.

Common Water Quality Problems:

Problem	Possible Cause	Treatment
Health symptoms: diarrhea, stomach cramps	Bacteria, parasites, viruses	Chlorination/filtration method Ultra-violet systems Chlorination – injector units
Methaemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome)	Nitrate	Reverse-osmosis units
High sodium Salty taste	Naturally occurring Water softener	Reverse-osmosis units
Scale build-up in kettles and water heaters. Soap scum, bathtub ring.	Hardness (hard water)	Water softeners
Red to brown slime in toilet tanks: iron staining; unpleasant taste or odours	Iron bacteria	Chlorination/filtration
Rusty black stains on fixtures, laundry	Iron and/or manganese	Filtration; greensand filters; water softeners; chlorination/filtration units
"Rotten-egg" smell and taste	Hydrogen sulphide and/or sulphate reducing bacteria	Chlorination/filtration units; greensand filters; aeration
Water has laxative effects	Sulphate	Reverse-osmosis units
Corrosive	Chloride	Reverse-osmosis units
Gas-like smell, gas bubbles escaping from water	Gases (methane)	Aeration; activated carbon filters
Cloudy water	Turbidity (clay)	Filters; alum treatment

Other Links and Information

Safe Water Factsheets

www.windfallcentre.ca

Municipal water 

www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/environment/water/publications.htm

www.ene.gov.on.ca

www.epa.gov/water

Ontario Ministry of the Environment Public Information Centre 1-800-565-4923

 York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653, TTY 1-866-252-9933