Public Health Ontario has provided us with a means to test potable water from a well. The water sample is tested for the presence of Total Coliforms and E. Coli, which are bacterial indicators of contamination.
We pick up these testing bottles provided by Public Health Ontario for free, from various locations in Grey/Bruce. There is a plastic bag around the sample with the forms to complete with the bottle.
For the water to be tested, the sample has to be drinking water from a single household, received within 48 hours of collection, cold, filled to the fill line of the bottle, and taken from a location in Ontario. Make sure you read all the instruction thoroughly before you take the sample!
Here are some tips to help collect your water sample:
- Remove the screen or other attachment from the tap. If you cannot remove the screen or attachment, use the bathroom tub faucet.
- Run the cold water for 2-3 minutes
- Disinfect the end of the faucet with an alcohol swab or diluted bleach solution
- Run the cold tap again for 2-3 minutes
- Fill the Public Health Ontario Laboratory water collection bottle to the fill line. Do not rinse the bottle before filling and do not touch the inner surface of the cap or bottle. Recap the bottle immediately.
- Keep the sample cold (refrigerator – do not freeze).
- Make you sure complete ALL the paperwork and wrap it around the bottle as instructed.
- Bring it to the drop off location as soon as possible. There are drop off locations throughout Grey/Bruce. View the link: https://www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca/About-Us/News-Releases/ArticleID/605/Private-Drinking-Water-Drop-off-Locations
Depending on which box you checked, your results will be mailed to you in approx. 7 days. Well water is vulnerable to external influences such as snow melt and heavy rainfalls. You should test your well water frequently. This test doesn’t test for other types of contaminants such as chemicals or minerals. Call a water filtration expert to help you test for other types of contaminants.
The Saugeen Team is here to help! Contact us!