Environment, Energy and Forestry: Getting Your Water Tested

Getting Your Water Tested

The department provides water testing services for a variety of clients through the PEI Analytical Laboratories. Drinking water samples are analysed for private well owners, for tourist accommodations and for municipal and other central water supply systems. Water quality results are assessed according to the recommendations of the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality published by Health Canada.

Private Well Owners
It is recommended that homeowners relying on their own well, get their water tested on a regular basis. There are two types of test, one for bacteria and another for general inorganic chemistry.

Bacteria test
The bacteria test measures both total coliform organisms and E. coli. These bacteria tests provide a general indication of the condition of the well and plumbing system (total coliform), as well as contamination by more serious sources of bacteria such as sewage or manure (E. coli). Generally it is suggested that private wells be tested at least once a year for bacteria, or any time you notice a significant change in the taste, odour or appearance of the water.

Chemistry test
The chemistry test measures a total of 19 parameters that include the most common chemical constituents typically found in drinking water on PEI. They include both health based parameters such as nitrate, chloride and sodium; parameters that may affect the aesthetic quality of water such as pH, iron and manganese; and others that simply describe the basic characteristics of the water. It is normally recommended that wells be sampled for chemistry when they are first constructed, and then once every few years.

How to get your water tested:
Samples must be collected in appropriate bottles (separate bottles for bacteria and chemistry) available at Access PEI sites or at the Microbiology Laboratory, 5th floor, Sullivan Building, 16 Fitzroy Street in Charlottetown. Instructions on how to take the water sample are provided with the sample bottles.

Getting and interpreting the results:
Results of bacteria tests are normally available within two days and are mailed to the client. In cases where the bacterial quality of the water is not considered fit for human consumption (presence of more than 10 total coliform bacteria, or presence of any E. coli bacteria), department staff will phone the homeowner to notify them of the results, and advise them on what precautions should be taken regarding use of the water. In cases where it is known that a homeowner has already been advised of these precautions, as would be the case for a re-sample in response to a previous un-acceptable result, telephone contact is not normally made.

Chemistry results are normally available within one to two weeks, and results are forwarded to the client by mail. For either bacteria or chemistry analysis, homeowners can also get their results by phoning the department at 368-5044 or toll free 1-866-368-5044.

Where testing reveals a water quality problem, homeowners are encouraged to contact departmental drinking water technicians for advice on the appropriate follow-up actions. (Click here for information on common water quality problems.) Depending on the circumstances, drinking water technicians may wish to make a site visit in an effort to determine the source of the problem.

Cost of analyses:
The bacteria test costs $27.50 ($28.88 including GST) and the chemistry test costs $55 ($57.75 including GST). The department maintains a policy of not charging for re-samples when such samples are collected in a timely fashion as part of an active investigation of a water quality problem. This does not include longer term follow-up samples that may be collected by the homeowner some months after the problem has been addressed, or during which no active attempts have been made to address the problem.

Privacy:
Due to the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the department can only release water quality information to the individual requesting the analysis. The department does reserve the right to use this information internally, either where it is necessary in the investigation of an incident of groundwater contamination, or where it may be used to compile local or regional water quality profiles. In either case, no personal information (i.e. name, address, etc.) is released to the public.

Municipal Water Supply Systems
All municipal water supply utilities and privately owned or operated central water supply systems are required to sample their water on a regular basis according to the requirements prescribed in the Drinking Water and Wastewater Facility Operating Regulations. These regulations specify both the minimum scope and frequency of water testing for water supply facilities based on the system size and characteristics, and also require system operators to report general water quality statistics to customers on an annual basis.

When a consumer has concerns regarding water supplied by a municipal water system, they should contact the utility providing the water. Depending on the nature of the inquiry, they may be able to provide you with the necessary water quality results, or arrange to collect a sample from your residence at no charge to yourself. Please note that the proper interpretation of water quality results from an individual site serviced by a central water supply system can be complex, and generally requires a detailed knowledge of sample results, and operating characteristics for the entire system. For this reason, the department strongly discourages individual customers from sampling water supplied by central water supply systems.

Tourist Accommodations
Many tourism operations rely on their own private water supplies. The provisions of the Tourism PEI Act, Regulations require tourism operators to sample such supplies for bacterial quality on a quarterly basis during the period for which they are open. Operators can acquire appropriate sample bottles available at Access PEI sites or at the Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry on the 4th floor of the Jones Building, 11 Kent Street in Charlottetown. Instruction sheets for appropriate sampling procedure are provided with sample bottles.

Guide books

Water Sample Collection and Analysis - Small and Very Small Public Water Supply Systems
Water and Wastewater Sample Collection and Analysis