| 1. General Water Safety Information for Private Citizens |
This information is for private citizens who own their own source of drinking water that serves a single household, such as a well. If you are a Regulated Drinking Water Owner or Operator, please contact the Ontario Ministry of the Environment for more information.
Water quality can change. Test your well water at least three times every year to keep up-to-date on the quality of your family’s drinking water. Next to properly maintaining your well, testing is your best strategy for playing it safe. This table explains which agency or professional provides what kind of testing service.
| Public Health Unit |
- you suspect that surface water, or human or animal waste, have entered your well
- you require a water sample collection bottle for indicator bacteria testing
- you require help in interpreting your water quality sample results
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- Contact your local public health unit
- Call the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care INFOline at 1-866-532-3161, TTY 1-800-387-5559
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| PHO Laboratories |
- you require a water collection kit for indicator bacteria testing
- you want to test for bacteriological water contamination (total coliform and E. coli).
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| Accredited Private Laboratory |
- have concerns about chemicals in your well, such as sulphur or
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- Send a water sample to an accredited private lab. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment can help you find an accredited private lab near you:
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| Licensed Well Contractor |
- you have concerns that your well is improperly constructed, or requires upgrading or maintenance
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- Search for Water Well Drilling & Services in your local Yellow Pages to find a licensed service provider
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If your well water test shows unacceptable levels of bacteria, stop drinking the water immediately and contact your local public health unit!
Important Update: Changes to drop-off hours for water testing
The PHO public health laboratories have revised dates and times for accepting private citizens’ drinking water sample for testing.
Drop-off hours:
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday
Closed:
Saturday, Sunday and statutory holidays
Please ensure all gray shaded areas of the form are complete.
For more information visit: www.oahpp.ca
| 2. How to Test Water for Bacteria |
Introductory video
The video Test Your Water, created by the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit, demonstrates proper techniques for taking and submitting a drinking water sample and submission of that sample to PHO laboratories.
Completing the water sample submission form
You must complete the water sample submission form provided with the water sample collection kit. Water will not be tested if the form is not completely and accurately filled in. The following information is required:
- your name and complete mailing address
- the four-line detailed location, including postal code, of your water source
- the date the sample was collected including the year
- your public health unit number (see page 2 of water sample submission form)
- your daytime telephone number including your area code
- an indication of how you wish to receive your results
Note: Do not submit samples from high-risk water supplies, such as lakes, rivers or streams, unless the water has been properly treated first.
Sampling your water for accurate results
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- Get a proper water collection kit from your nearest PHO laboratory, public health unit or designated pickup stations in your area. Only water collected directly into these bottles will be accepted.
- Plan to sample your well water when you’re sure you can deliver it to the public health unit or other designated drop off location within 24 hours of collection. Your water sample should not be left sitting for a long period of time as this can lead to inaccurate results.
- Remove any aerator, screen or other attachments from your faucet. If this cannot be done, take a sample from an inside tap with no aerator, such as the bathtub. Don’t take a sample from an outside faucet or the garden hose.
- Disinfect the end of the faucet spout with an alcohol swab or dilute bleach solution (1 part household bleach to 10 parts water) before running water to remove debris or bacteria. Disinfecting the tap with a flame is not recommended because this can damage the faucet.
- Turn on cold water and let it run for two to three minutes to remove standing water from your plumbing system.
- Examine the lid. If the tamper evident ring has separated from the cap use another collection kit. Remove the sample bottle lid. Important: DO NOT touch the inside of the lid, put the lid down or rinse out the bottle.
- Fill the bottle to the level that is marked and described in the enclosed instructions, and close the lid firmly.
- Remove one of the barcodes from the bottle and stick it to the "WATER RESULTS BY TELEPHONE" card in the collection kit. This is your Personal Identification Number (PIN) information to be used to access your results over the telephone via the Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Keep this card for your reference so it will be available when you use the IVR.
- Keep the sample cool (but not frozen) until it’s returned to the drop-off location. Don’t store samples in warm places such as your car trunk. Again, deliver the sample within 24 hours or it may not be processed. Remember that proper handling will help to make sure that your test results are accurate!
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| 3. Accessing water specimen test results |
Water testing results are generally available within 2 to 4 business days of submission. Water testing reports will be automatically mailed to the name and address written on the form unless you indicate you would like to pick up the report at the laboratory where it was tested (note: photo ID is required to pick up results). Call the toll free IVR telephone line at 1-877-723-3426 (TTY 1-866-828-2238) to hear an automated message with your results and interpretation. The IVR service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Coliforms are commonly found in animal wastes and sewage, but are also found in soil and vegetation. Their presence may indicate that your water source is not secure and surface water may be entering your well.
Escherichia coli (or E. coli) are bacteria found only in the digestive systems of people and animals. Their presence in your well water is usually the result of animal or human waste contamination from a nearby source. If your water contains E. coli stop drinking it immediately. It is unsafe to drink. Consult your local public health unit immediately.
Overgrown is a situation where the test was heavily contaminated with bacteria often found in the environment. This condition interferes with the detection of coliforms or E. coli that may be present in your sample. The water may be unsafe to drink unless boiled or treated. Consult your local public health unit immediately.
| Total coliform per 100 mL |
5 or less |
no significant evidence of bacterial contamination |
- 3 samples in a row, taken 1 to 3 weeks apart, with this designation are needed to determine the stability of the water supply
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| E.Coli per 100 mL |
0 |
| Total coliform per 100 mL |
more than 5 |
significant evidence of bacterial contamination |
- may be unsafe to drink
- consult your local public health unit for information as soon as possible
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| E.Coli per 100 mL |
0 |
| E.Coli per 100 mL |
> 0 |
unsafe to drink - animal or human waste contamination |
- unsafe to drink
- evidence of animal or human waste contamination
- consult your local public health unit for information immediately
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| 5. If your well water tests positive |
Immediate measures
- Stop using the well water.
- If you want to continue to use your well water, bring it to a rolling boil for at least one minute before using it for drinking, making infant formula, juices, ice or recipes, brushing your teeth, rinsing contact lenses, and washing food or dishes. Your boiled water supply should always be refrigerated until it is used.
- Consider using alternative water sources such as bottled water or municipal supply if available.
Longer-term measures
- Disinfect your well and entire household plumbing system. Refer to the Disinfection Instruction Sheet below for more information.
- Have your well water re-tested to confirm that your water supply doesn’t contain significant amounts of bacterial contaminants.
- Chronic, ongoing problems may mean you need to have your well and plumbing system professionally inspected. This will help to determine possible reasons for the poor water quality results, such as surface water entering the top of the well. Contact a licensed well professional to help you with this task. Long-term water treatment options are also available in Choosing a Water Treatment System
- Contact your local public health unit or the Ontario Ministry of the Environment for more assistance.
- Consider replacing the existing well with a new well that meets present-day well construction practices.
| 6. Useful links and resources |
Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Tel: INFOline 1-866-532-3161, TTY 1-800-387-5559
Ontario Ministry of the Environment
Tel: 1-800-565-4923
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Tel: 1-877-424-1300
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