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2012 Shoal Lake water quality test results

Image of Shoal Lake inletOur staff test Shoal Lake and the intake at the west end of Indian Bay (where the water enters the aqueduct) as part of our routine water quality testing program.

For more information on Winnipeg's drinking water and our impact on Shoal Lake, visit the web page on Shoal Lake - Our Water Source.

Testing

We take samples at the intake every week during the open water season and every two weeks during the rest of the year. We also take samples from the Shoal Lake watershed from May to October. We test the intake samples for:

  • routine water chemistry
  • taste and odour compounds
  • metals
  • disinfection by-products
  • bacteria and protozoa
  • toxins produced by algae

By taking these samples, we track seasonal changes in water quality and determine the effects (if any) of human activity within the Shoal Lake watershed.

Water entering the aqueduct intake passes through screens before being treated by chlorine on a periodic basis for slime and Zebra mussel control. The aqueduct brings water to Deacon Reservoir before entering the Water Treatment Plant. There, we test both the raw and treated water before the water is distributed to Winnipeg homes and businesses.

What is being measured How it's measured Guideline or regulation Shoal Lake average Shoal Lake range Comments
Odour  units Inoffensive 154 80 to 200 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Perchlorate  parts per billion no guideline <0.2 <0.2 to <0.2 -
Plankton (algae) count  cells/mL no guideline 67,761 1,400 to 501,000  Algae contributes to odours and may cause filter clogging 
Chlorophyll-a parts per billion no guideline 9 <1 to 27  Chlorophyll is found in algae 
Cryptosporidium oocysts per 100 L no guideline <1 <1 to <1 12 samples taken in 2012 - no positive results
Giardia cysts per 100 L no guideline <1 <1 to <1 12 samples taken in 2012 - no positive results
Turbidity (clearness) NTU no guideline 1.82 0.42 to 5.04 -
Colour, True TCU no more than 15 3.4 2.0 to 6.5 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Total Solids parts per million no guideline 106 97 to 117 -
Total Dissolved Solids parts per million no more than 500 93 75 to 106 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Conductivity microsiemens per centimetre no guideline 158 143 to 181 Another measure of dissolved solids
pH  units between 6.5 and 8.5 8.24 7.47 to 9.01 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Temperature degrees Celcius no more than 15 11.6 2 to 26.0 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Total Alkalinity parts per million as calcium carbonate no guideline 77 68 to 88 -
Total Hardness parts per million as calcium carbonate between 80 and 100 78 71 to 88 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Total Organic Carbon parts per million no guideline 11 9 to 13 -
Dissolved Organic Carbon parts per million no guideline 11 9 to 13 -
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) parts per million no guideline 0.61 0.47 to 0.78 TKN is a combination of ammonia and organic nitrogen
Total Phosphorus parts per billion no guideline 21 10 to 40 Phosphorus can contribute to algae growth
Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus parts per billion no guideline 4 <1 to <10 -
Fluoride parts per million no more than 1.5 <0.08 <0.08 to 0.09 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Nitrate Nitrogen parts per million no more than 10 0.006 <0.003 to 0.040 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Chloride parts per million no more than 250 <5 <5 to <5 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Sulphate parts per million no more than 500 <5 <5 to <5 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Trihalomethanes parts per billion no more than 100 <0.5 <0.5 to <0.5 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Bromodichloromethane parts per billion no more than 16 <0.5 <0.5 to <0.5 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Haloacetic acids parts per billion no more than 80 <5 <5 to <5 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Aldehydes parts per billion no guideline 2 <2 to 5 -
Carbofuran parts per billion no more than 90 <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Propoxur parts per billion no more than 0.7 <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Aldrin parts per billion no more than 0.7 <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Lindane (gamma-BHC) parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
alpha-Chlordane parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
gamma-Chlordane parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
p,p-DDT parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Dieldrin parts per billion no more than 0.7 <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Heptachlor parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Heptachlor Epoxide parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Methoxychlor parts per billion no more than 900 <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 Raw water - guideline does not apply
alpha-BHC parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
beta-BHC parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
delta-BHC parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
p,p-DDD parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
p,p-DDE parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
o,p-DDD parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
o,p-DDE parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
o,p-DDT parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Alpha Endosulfan parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Beta Endosulfan parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Endrin parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Mirex parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Simazine parts per billion no more than 10 <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Alachlor parts per billion no guideline <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 -
Atrazine parts per billion no more than 5 <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Metribuzin parts per billion no more than 80 <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Azinphosmethyl parts per billion no more than 20 <0.010 <0.010 to <0.010 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Chlorothalonil parts per billion no guideline <0.060 <0.060 to <0.060 -
Chlorpyrifos parts per billion no more than 90 <0.10 <0.020 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Diazinon parts per billion no more than 20 <0.10 <0.030 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Dimethoate parts per billion no more than 20 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Malathion parts per billion no more than 190 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Parathion parts per billion no more than 50 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Terbufos parts per billion no more than 1 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Methyl Parathion parts per billion no guideline <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 -
2,4-D parts per billion no more than 100 <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 Raw water - guideline does not apply
2,4-DB parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
2,4-DP parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
2,4,5-T parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
2,4,5-TP parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
Bromoxynil parts per billion no more than 5 <0.020 <0.020 to <0.020 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Dicamba parts per billion no more than 120 <0.0060 <0.0060 to <0.0060 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Dinoseb parts per billion no more than 10 <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 Raw water - guideline does not apply
MCPA parts per billion no more than 100 <0.025 <0.025 to <0.025 Raw water - guideline does not apply
MCPB parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
Mecoprop parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
Picloram parts per billion no more than 190 <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Trichlopyr parts per billion no guideline <0.050 <0.050 to <0.050 -
Diclofop-methyl parts per billion no more than 9 <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Eptam parts per billion no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 -
Propachlor parts per billion no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 -
Propanil parts per billion no guideline <0.20 <0.20 to <0.20 -
Triallate parts per billion no guideline <0.10 <0.10 to <0.10 -
Trifluralin parts per billion no more than 45 <0.030 <0.030 to <0.030 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Arochlor 1016 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.000050 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1221 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.000050 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1232 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.000050 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1242 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.000050 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1248 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.000050 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1254 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.000050 to <0.020 -
Arochlor 1260 parts per billion no guideline <0.020 <0.000050 to <0.020 -
Calcium parts per million no guideline 21.0 19.4 to 24.7 Contributes to hardness
Magnesium parts per million no guideline 6.2 5.4 to 8.0 Contributes to hardness
Sodium parts per million no more than 200 2.2 1.9 to 3.0 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Potassium parts per million no guideline 1.3 1.1 to 1.6 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Iron parts per million no more than 0.3 0.04 <0.01 to 0.08 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Copper parts per million no more than 1.0 0.003 <0.001 to 0.031 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Lead parts per million no more than 0.010 <0.001 <0.001 to 0.002 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Aluminum parts per million no more than 0.1 0.012 <0.001 to 0.109 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Antimony parts per million no more than 0.0006 <0.001 <0.001 to <0.001 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Arsenic parts per million no more than 0.010 <0.001 <0.001 to 0.001 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Nickel parts per million no guideline <0.001 <0.001 to 0.001 -
Chromium parts per million no more than 0.05 <0.001 <0.001 to 0.001 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Chromium IV parts per million no guideline <0.01 <0.01 to <0.01 -
Boron parts per million no more than 5 0.024 0.012 to 0.042 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Cadmium parts per million no more than 0.005 <0.001 <0.001 to <0.001 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Manganese parts per million no more than 0.05 0.018 0.004 to 0.038 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Uranium parts per million no more than 0.02 <0.001 <0.001 to <0.001 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Zinc parts per million no more than 5.0 0.002 <0.001 to 0.012 Raw water - guideline does not apply
Zirconium parts per million no guideline <0.001 <0.001 to <0.001 -
Mercury parts per million no more than 0.001 <0.000001 <0.000001 to 0.000002 Raw water - guideline does not apply

Guidelines from 'Summary of Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality' by Health Canada, revised February 15, 2013.

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Last updated: April 15, 2024

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