Drinking Water Quality and Compliance
Town Short Form – A Template for Annual Notice to Consumers
(Note: This short form may be used for communities or waterworks serving a population of less than 5000).
Introduction
The Water Security Agency and the Ministry of Environment requires that at least once each year waterworks owners provide notification to consumers of the quality of water produced and supplied as well as information on the performance of the waterworks in submitting samples as required by a Minister’s Order or Permit to Operate a waterworks. The following is a summary of the Town of Asquith water quality and sample submission compliance record for the 2020 time period. This report was completed on March 18, 2021. (must be completed before June 30 each year on a calendar year-based reporting frequency). Readers should refer to Water Security Agency’s Municipal Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Guidelines, June 2015, EPB 502 for more information on minimum sample submission requirements and the meaning of type of sample. Permit requirements for a specific waterworks may require more sampling than outlined in the department’s monitoring guidelines. If consumers need more information on the nature and significance of specific water tests, for example, “what is the significance of Selenium in a water supply”, more detailed information is available from: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/index_e.html .
Water Quality Standards
Bacteriological Quality
Regular Samples Regular Samples # of Positive Regular
Parameter/Location Limit Required Submitted Submitted (%)
Total Coliform 0 Organisms/100 mL ___52_____ ___52__ ___0%____
E. coli 0 Organisms/100 mL ______________ _______________ __________________
Background Bacteria Less than 200/100 mL ______________ _______________ __________________
Water Disinfection –
Chlorine Residual in Distribution System for Test Results Submitted with Bacteriological Samples
Minimum Total Chlorine Free Chlorine # Tests # Tests # Adequate
Parameter Limit Residual Range Residual Range Required Submitted Chlorine (%)
Chlorine 0.1 mg/L free OR
Residual 0.5 mg/L total _1.20 – 2.28_ _0.80 – 2.00_ ___52___ ___52__ _100%_____
Water Disinfection - Free Chlorine Residual for Water Entering Distribution System from Waterworks Records-From Water Treatment Plant Records
Test Level # Tests # Tests Not Meeting
Parameter Limit (mg/L) Range Performed Requirements
Free Chlorine Residual at least 0.1 _.62 – 1.83_ __365___ ___0____
A minimum of 0.1 milligrams per litre (mg/L) free chlorine residual is required for water entering the distribution system. Tests are normally performed on a daily basis by the waterworks operator and are to be recorded in operation records. This data includes the number of free chlorine residual tests performed, the overall range of free chlorine residual (highest and lowest recorded values) and the number of tests and percentage of results not meeting the minimum requirement of 0.1 mg/L free chlorine residual.
Turbidity – From Water Treatment Plant Records
Parameter Limit Test Level # Tests Not Meeting Maximum # Tests # Tests # Tests
(NTU) Range Requirements Turbidity (NTU) Required Performed Performed
Turbidity __1.0___ _.02 - .49_ ______0_______ __.49___ __365___ __365___ ____________
Chemical – Health Category
All waterworks serving less than 5000 persons are required to submit water samples for SE’s Chemical Health category once every 2 years. The Chemical Health category includes analysis for arsenic, barium, boron, cadmium, chromium, fluoride, lead, nitrate, selenium and uranium.
The last sample for Chemical Health analysis was submitted on (February 26, 2021). Sample results indicated that the provincial drinking water quality standards were not exceeded.
Limit Limit Sample # Samples
Parameter MAC(mg/L) IMAC (mg/L) Result(s) Exceeding Limit
Arsenic 0.010 .02 ug/L ________________ * Results expressed
Barium 1.0 .010 mg/L ________________ as average values
Boron 5.0 0.27 mg/L ________________ for communities or
Bromate 0.01 _________ ________________ waterworks that
Cadmium 0.005 <0.00001 mg/L ________________ fluoridate drinking
Chlorate 1.0 _________ ________________ water supplies or
Chlorite 1.0 _________ ________________ those with elevated
Chromium 0.05 <0.0005 mg/L ________________ concentrations of
Fluoride (avg*) 1.5 0.21 mg/L ________________ fluoride or nitrates.
Lead 0.01 0.0001 mg/L ________________
Nitrate (avg.*) 45.0 <0.04 mg/L ________________
Seleniuum 0.01 <0.0001 mg/L ________________
Uranium 0.02 0.3 ug/L ________________
Chemical – Trihalomethanes (THMs)and Haloacetic Acids (HAAs)
Parameter THMs Sample # Samples # Samples
Limit (mg/L) Result (average) Required Submitted
Trihalomethanes 0.1 _____________ 4 (1 every 3 months) __________
Haloacetic Acids 0.08 _____________ 4 (1 every 3 months) __________
Note: Only water supplies derived from surface water or groundwater under the influence of surface water are required to monitor for THMs and HAAs. Waterworks using groundwater sources beyond the influence of surface water do not need to report THMs or HAAs since sampling/analysis will not likely have been performed unless otherwise noted in the waterworks permit to operate
General Chemical
Aesthetic Sample Results # Samples # Samples
Parameter Objectives * (mg/L) (average) Required Submitted
Alkalinity 500 <1 ___1_____ ____1_____
Bicarbonate No Objective 459 mg/L ___1____ ____1_____
Calcium No Objective 144 mg/L ___1_____ ____1_____
Carbonate No Objective <1 mg/L ________ ____1_____
Chloride 250 29 mg/L ___1____ ____1_____
Conductivity No Objective 1490 uS/cm ___1_____ ____1_____
Hardness 800 618 mg/L ___1_____ ____1_____
Magnesium 200 0.015 mg/L ___1_____ ____1_____
PH No Objective 7.84 pH units ___1_____ ____1_____
Sodium 300 100 mg/L ___1____ ___ 1____
Sulphate 500 420 mg/L ________ ___ _____
Total dissolved
Solids 1500 1040 mg/L ___1_____ ___1______
All waterworks serving less than 5000 persons are required to submit water samples for SE’s General Chemical category once every two years if a ground water source and once per three months every second year if a surface water or blended surface/groundwater source. The General Chemical category includes analysis for alkalinity, bicarbonate, calcium, carbonate, chloride, conductivity, hardness (as CaCO3), magnesium, sodium, sulphate and total dissolved solids.
The last sample for General Chemical analysis was required in 2021 and submitted on February 26, 2021. Sample results indicated that there were no exceedences of the provincial aesthetic objectives for the General Chemical category.
*Objectives apply to certain characteristics of or substances found in water for human consumptive or hygienic use. The presence of these substances will affect the acceptance of water by consumers and/or interfere with the practice of supplying good quality water. Compliance with drinking water aesthetic objectives is not mandatory as these objectives are in the range where they do not constitute a health hazards. The aesthetic objectives for several parameters (including hardness as CaCO3, magnesium, sodium and total dissolved solids) consider regional differences in drinking water sources and quality.
More information on water quality and sample submission performance may be obtained from:
Town of Asquith, Kathy Picketts, C.A.O.
Box 160, Asquith, SK, S0K0J0
Telephone Number 306-329-4341/ Facsimile Number 306-329-4969
E-mail address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
June 2015 EPB 536D