Grimsby Water Treatment Plant - 2020 Annual Water Quality Report

The Annual Water Quality Report summarizes the quality of drinking water from the Decew Falls Water Treatment Plant from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2020.

Description of Drinking Water System

A conventional surface water treatment plant incorporates the following steps in its purification process:

  • Zebra mussel control
  • Travelling screens
  • Coagulation
  • Flocculation
  • Sedimentation
  • Filtration
  • Disinfection

The Grimsby Water Treatment Plant supplies water to the towns of Grimsby, Lincoln and West Lincoln in the Regional Municipality of Niagara. The Grimsby Water Treatment Plant is located on Lot 115, Concession1, in North Grimsby.

The water treatment chemicals used over this reporting period are:

  • Sodium Hypochlorite
  • Aluminum Sulphate

Monetary Expenses Incurred

To ensure safe and efficient operations, the following major repairs or upgrade projects took place:

Water treatment plant infrastructure

  • Valve replacement - $105,000
  • Filter media replacement - $475,000

System infrastructure

  • Grimsby system storage - $8,580,000
  • Watermain - CND transmission main crossing - $10,230,000

Notices Submitted

Incident Date Parameter Result Unit of Measure Corrective Action Corrective Action Date
June 10, 2020 Total Coliform 1 CFU/100 ml Resample - upstream, downstream and at original location. Resample results met regulatory requirements. June 12, 2020
Oct. 22, 2020 Report of improperly treated water due to chemical metering pump dosing n/a n/a Where able, improperly treated water isolated and disposed of. Proper disinfection restored. Oct. 22, 2020

Water Quality Test Results

Starting in 2018, reported units of measure have been updated to match the units of measure included within Ontario Regulation 169/03 - Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards.

Reported results that are shown with a less than symbol (<) before the value indicates that the sample result is below the lowest possible detection limit for the parameter.

Microbiological

Total Coliform and E.coli bacteria tests are performed on raw, treated and distributed drinking water.

Microbiological testing done under the Schedule 10, 11 or 12 of Regulation 170/03, during this reporting period.

Test Number of Samples Range of E.Coli or Fecal Results (minimum number)-(maximum number) Range of Total Coliform Results (minimum number)-(maximum number) Number of HPC* Samples Range of HPC Results (minimum number)-(maximum number)
Raw 52 0-10 0-420 Not applicable Not applicable
Treated 53 0-0 0-0 543 0-3
Distribution 263 0-0 0-0 263 0-11

*HPC (heterotrophic plate count) bacteria indicate biological growth. They are not harmful to humans and do not represent poor drinking water quality.

Operational

Operational testing done under Schedule 7, 8 or 9 of Regulation 170/03 during the period covered by this Annual Report.

Test Number of Samples Range of Results (minimum number)-(maximum number)
Turbidity 8760 0.014-0.664 NTU*
Chlorine 8760 0.89-1.43 mg/L
Fluoride Not applicable  

*NTU (nephelometric turbidity units) is a unit that measures the lack of water clarity.

An analyzer continuously monitors the water treatment process and records results on a predetermined frequency. Continuous monitors use 8760 as the number of samples.

Summary of additional testing and sampling carried out in accordance with the requirement of an approval, order or other legal instrument.

Date of legal instrument issued Parameter Date Sampled Result Unit of Measure
Municipal Drinking Water Licence: August 2, 2019 Total Suspended Solids (to environment) Monthly Annual Average 14.0 mg/L
Municipal Drinking Water Licence: August 2, 2019 Free Chlorine Residual (to environment) Weekly 0.00-0.01 mg/L

Inorganics

Inorganic substances include heavy metals and dissolved minerals that may be present in treated drinking water. The following is a summary of inorganic parameters tested or the most recent sample results.

Parameter Sample Date Result Value Unit of Measure Exceedance
Antimony Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0005 mg/L 0
Arsenic Nov. 4, 2020 <0.001 mg/L 0
Barium Nov. 4, 2020 0.02 mg/L 0
Boron Nov. 4, 2020 0.023 mg/L 0
Cadmium Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0001 mg/L 0
Chromium Nov. 4, 2020 <0.001 mg/L 0
Lead* - - - -
Mercury Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0001 mg/L 0
Selenium Nov. 4, 2020 0.0012 mg/L 0
Sodium Dec. 9, 2020 12.5 mg/L 1
Uranium Nov. 4, 2020 <0.001 mg/L 0
Fluoride Dec. 9, 2020 0.07 mg/L 0
Nitrite Dec. 9, 2020 <0.05 mg/L 0
Nitrate Dec. 9, 2020 0.34 mg/L 0

*Only for drinking water systems testing under Schedule 15.2; this includes large municipal non-residential systems, small municipal non-residential systems, non-municipal seasonal residential systems, large non-municipal non-residential systems, and small non-municipal non-residential systems.

Summary of lead testing under Schedule 15.1 during this reporting period
(applicable to the following drinking water systems; large municipal residential systems, small municipal residential systems, and non-municipal year-round residential systems)

Location Type Number of Samples Range of Lead Results (min to max) Unit of Measure Exceedance
Plumbing 4 <0.0001 mg/L 0
Distribution 4 <0.0001 mg/L 0

Organics

Trace organic test parameters include: volatile organic substances, pesticides, solvents, dioxins, PCB's, and disinfection by-products. The following is a summary of organic parameters tested or the most recent sample results.

Parameter Sample Date Result Value Unit of Measure Exceedance
Alachlor Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000225 mg/L 0
Atrazine + N-dealkylated metabolites Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0005 mg/L 0
Azinphos-methyl Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000169 mg/L 0
Benzene Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0001 mg/L 0
Benzo(a)pyrene Nov. 4, 2020 <0.00001 mg/L 0
Bromoxynil Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0000937 mg/L 0
Carbaryl Nov. 4, 2020 <0.001 mg/L 0
Carbofuran Nov. 4, 2020 <0.002 mg/L 0
Carbon Tetrachloride Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
Chlorpyrifos Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000169 mg/L 0
Diazinon Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000169 mg/L 0
Dicamba Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0000082 mg/L 0
1,2-Dichlorobenzene Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
1,4-Dichlorobenzene Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
1,2-Dichloroethane Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
1,1-Dichloroethylene (vinylidene chloride) Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
Dichloromethane Nov. 4, 2020 <0.001 mg/L 0
2-4 Dichlorophenol Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
2,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000351 mg/L 0
Diclofop-methyl Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000117 mg/L 0
Dimethoate Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000169 mg/L 0
Diquat Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
Diuron Nov. 4, 2020 <0.006 mg/L 0
Glyphosate Nov. 4, 2020 <0.02 mg/L 0
HAA Running annual average 0.008 mg/L 0
Malathion Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000169 mg/L 0
2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MPCA) Nov. 4, 2020 <0.00586 mg/L 0
Metolachlor Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000113 mg/L 0
Metribuzin Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000113 mg/L 0
Monochlorobenzene Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0005 mg/L 0
Paraquat Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
Pentachlorophenol Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
Phorate Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000113 mg/L 0
Picloram Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000082 mg/L 0
Polychlorinated Biphenyls(PCB) Nov. 4, 2020 <0.00006 mg/L 0
Prometryne Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0000563 mg/L 0
Simazine Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000169 mg/L 0
THM Running annual average 0.019 mg/L 0
Terbufos Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000113 mg/L 0
Tetrachloroethylene Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
2,3,4,6-Tetrachlorophenol Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
Triallate Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000113 mg/L 0
Trichloroethylene Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
2,4,6-Trichlorophenol Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
Trifluralin Nov. 4, 2020 <0.000113 mg/L 0
Vinyl Chloride Nov. 4, 2020 <0.0001 mg/L 0

Any Inorganic or Organic parameter(s) that exceeded half the standard prescribed in Schedule 2 of Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards.

Parameter Result Value Unit of Measure Date of Sample
Sodium 12.1-17.9 mg/L

Jan. 15, 2020, Feb. 12, 2020, Feb. 26, 2020, March 11, 2020, April 7, 2020, May 6, 2020, May 13, 2020, June 3, 2020, July 8, 2020, Aug. 5, 2020, Aug. 19, 2020, Sept. 23, 2020, Oct. 28, 2020, Nov. 4, 2020, Nov. 25, 2020, Dec. 9, 2020
Page Feedback Did you find what you were looking for today?