Guelph’s drinking water has little naturally-occurring lead, remains safe, and continues to surpass stringent standards imposed by the MOE.
The City of Guelph will take part in a Ministry of the Environment (MOE)-ordered sampling program involving 36 Ontario municipalities that’s intended to provide the Province with consistent lead-sampling data.
Guelph’s drinking water is safe and continues to meet and surpass the stringent standards imposed by the MOE every day.
In recent years the City of Guelph has proactively undertaken lead sampling in excess of MOE requirements. Monitoring results show Guelph’s groundwater has low levels of naturally-occurring lead, and has significantly lower levels than the health-related drinking water standard. These results have been reviewed by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) and the MOE. Historically, when sampled from the tap, Guelph’s drinking water is shown to contain about one tenth the amount of lead permitted by the Province.
In recent weeks, the discovery of lead in the drinking water of some other Ontario communities has drawn focus to the issue. In proactive response, the City of Guelph has taken the following actions: reviewed all of its historical water quality data related to lead; reviewed its records for potential locations of in-use lead water services; prepared and posted ‘quick facts’ for customers; shared information with WDGPH and the MOE; and planned its enhanced monitoring program.
The presence of lead in municipal drinking water is regulated by the MOE. Provincial regulation requires annual lead testing in the water distribution system and sets a health-related drinking water standard of less than 10 micrograms per litre (ug/L), which is equivalent to 10 parts per billion (ppb). Drinking water standards are established by the MOE based on medical research and consultation with Health Canada.
In addition to monitoring for the presence of lead in the water supply, distribution system and customer tap water, the City of Guelph proactively replaces lead service lines on municipal properties and encourages private property-owners to do the same.
In Guelph, certified operators and accredited, licensed laboratories conduct 18,000 microbiological and chemical quality tests each year. In all cases, tests reveal Guelph’s drinking water is safe and better than all levels set out by Ontario and Canadian health-related guidelines.
Residents can contact Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health at 519-821-2370 for more information about the safety of Guelph’s water and health issues related to lead. Contact Guelph Waterworks at 519-837-5627 for information on lead sampling and replacement of lead water services.
Additional information can be found online at the following links:
Health Canada: Commonly Asked Questions about Lead and Human Health
Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Lead
National Sanitation Foundation: Home Water Treatment Devices