Niagara Falls 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 plant has a rated daily flow capacity of 145,475m3/day. Primary disinfection is achieved through utilizing sodium hypochlorite and ultraviolet light as enhancement.

The Niagara Falls Water Treatment Plant supplies water to the City of Niagara Falls, parts of the City of Thorold and parts of Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Niagara Falls Water Treatment Plant is located at 3599 Macklem Street, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

The water treatment chemicals used over this reporting period are:

  • Sodium Hypochlorite
  • Aluminum Sulphate

Notices Submitted

Incident Date Parameter Result Unit of Measure Corrective Action Corrective Action Date
NIL          

 

Monetary Expenses Incurred

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

  • Raw water intake - $44,000
  • Water treatment plant pump replacement - $48,000
  • Filter control improvements- $215,000
  • Filter improvements - $9,350,000

System infrastructure

  • Port Robinson interconnect - $86,000

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 0-100 0-4,600 Not applicable Not applicable
Treated 52 0 0 51 0-3
Distribution 156 0 0 156 0-18

*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 0.011-0.809 NTU*
Chlorine 8760 0.12-1.57 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 10.00 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. 9, 2020 0.0005 mg/L 0
Arsenic Nov. 9, 2020 <0.001 mg/L 0
Barium Nov. 9, 2020 0.02 mg/L 0
Boron Nov. 9, 2020 0.015 mg/L 0
Cadmium Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0001 mg/L 0
Chromium Nov. 9, 2020 0.002 mg/L 0
Lead* - - - -
Mercury Nov. 9, 2020 <0. 0001 mg/L 0
Selenium Nov. 9, 2020 <0. 0005 mg/L 0
Sodium Dec. 7, 2020 12.2 mg/L 0
Uranium Nov. 9, 2020 <0.001 mg/L 0
Fluoride Dec. 7, 2020 <0.06 mg/L 0
Nitrite Dec. 7, 2020 <0.05 mg/L 0
Nitrate Dec. 7, 2020 0.22 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. 9, 2020 <0.000279 mg/L 0
Atrazine + N-dealkylated metobolites Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0005 mg/L 0
Azinphos-methyl Nov. 9, 2020 <0.000209 mg/L 0
Benzene Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0001 mg/L 0
Benzo(a)pyrene Nov. 9, 2020 <0.00001 mg/L 0
Bromoxynil Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0000945 mg/L 0
Carbaryl Nov. 9, 2020 <0.001 mg/L 0
Carbofuran Nov. 9, 2020 <0.002 mg/L 0
Carbon Tetrachloride Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
Chlorpyrifos Nov. 9, 2020 <0.000209 mg/L 0
Diazinon Nov. 9, 2020 <0.000209 mg/L 0
Dicamba Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0000826 mg/L 0
1,2-Dichlorobenzene Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
1,4-Dichlorobenzene Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
1,2-Dichloroethane Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
1,1-Dichloroethylene (vinylidene chloride) Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
Dichloromethane Nov. 9, 2020 <0.001 mg/L 0
2-4 Dichlorophenol Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
2,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) Nov. 9, 2020 <0.000354 mg/L 0
Diclofop-methyl Nov. 9, 2020 <0.000118 mg/L 0
Dimethoate Nov. 9, 2020 <0.000209 mg/L 0
Diquat Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
Diuron Nov. 9, 2020 <0.007 mg/L 0
Glyphosate Nov. 9, 2020 <0.02 mg/L 0
HAA Running annual average 0.010 mg/L  
Malathion Nov. 4, 2019 <0.000209 mg/L 0
2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MPCA) Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0059 mg/L 0
Metolachlor Nov. 9, 2020 <0.00014 mg/L 0
Metribuzin Nov. 9, 2020 <0.00014 mg/L 0
Monochlorobenzene Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0005 mg/L 0
Paraquat Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
Pentachlorophenol Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
Phorate Nov. 9, 2020 <0.00014 mg/L 0
Picloram Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0000826 mg/L 0
Polychlorinated Biphenyls(PCB) Nov. 9, 2020 <0.00006 mg/L 0
Prometryne Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0000698 mg/L 0
Simazine Nov. 9, 2020 <0.000209 mg/L 0
THM Running annual average 0.017 mg/L 0
Terbufos Nov. 9, 2020 <0.00014 mg/L 0
Tetrachloroethylene Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
2,3,4,6-Tetrachlorophenol Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0003 mg/L 0
Triallate Nov. 9, 2020 <0.00014 mg/L 0
Trichloroethylene Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
2,4,6-Trichlorophenol Nov. 9, 2020 <0.0002 mg/L 0
Trifluralin Nov. 9, 2020 <0.000114 mg/L 0
Vinyl Chloride Nov. 9, 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 10-13 mg/L

Jan. 6, 2020, Feb. 3, 2020, March 2, 2020, April 6, 2020, May 4, 2020, June 1, 2020, July 6, 2020, Aug. 4, 2020, Sept. 8, 2020, Oct. 13, 2020, Nov. 9, 2020, Dec. 7, 2020
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