Port Colborne Water Treatment Plant - 2023 Annual Water Quality Report

This annual water quality report summarizes the quality of drinking water from the Port Colborne Water Treatment Plant, drinking water system number 220002075, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023.

This report satisfies the requirements of Ontario Regulation 170/03 - Drinking Water Systems.

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 36,000 m3/day. Primary disinfection is achieved with sodium hypochlorite.

The Port Colborne Water Treatment provides water to the City of Port Colborne (260001643) in Niagara and is located at 323 King St. in Port Colborne.

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 / system infrastructure

• Plant upgrade program - $9,403,469.38
• Plant generator $1,044,463.91
• Program - Port Colborne storage $11,654,121.27

The Port Colborne Water Treatment Plant will be receiving a major upgrade in the coming years.

Summary of adverse water quality incidents

The following table summarizes the notices of adverse water quality incidents submitted in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Adverse water quality incidents are reported to the Spills Action Centre and the Medical Officer of Health.

Where there have been no adverse water quality incidents for the reporting period, the table will show "NIL".

Incident date	Adverse condition	Corrective action	Notice of issue resolution
No incident to report	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable

Water quality test results

Reported results that are shown with "ND" (non-detect) instead of a numerical value indicates that the sample result is below the lowest possible detection limit for the parameter.

Microbiological testing

Microbiological testing carried out under Schedule 10 of Ontario Regulation 170/03 - Drinking Water systems, during this reporting period.

*Prescribed standards are copied from Ontario Regulation 169/03 - Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards.

Heterotrophic plate count testing

Heterotrophic plate count testing (HPC) is conducted on some treated and distribution system samples. The heterotrophic plate count test is used as a tool to monitor overall quality, but the results are not indicators of water safety. There is no prescribed standard for heterotrophic plate count.

Operational testing

Operational testing carried out under Schedule 7 of Ontario Regulation 170/03 - Drinking Water Systems, during this reporting period. An analyzer continuously monitors the water treatment process and records results on a predetermined frequency. Where continuous monitors are used, 8760 is reflected as the number of samples.

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

Additional testing

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

Inorganic testing

Inorganic parameter testing carried out under Schedule 13 of Ontario Regulation 170/03 - Drinking Water Systems, during this reporting period. Inorganic substances include heavy metals and dissolved minerals that may be present in treated drinking water.

*Prescribed standards are copied from Ontario Regulation 169/03 - Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards. The prescribed standard for sodium is copied from Ontario Regulation 170/03 - Drinking Water Systems.

Lead testing

Lead testing carried out under Schedule 15.1 of Ontario Regulation 170/03 - Drinking Water Systems, during this reporting period.

Organics testing

Organic parameter testing carried out under Schedule 13 of Ontario Regulation 170/03 - Drinking Water Systems, during this reporting period. Trace organic test parameters include: volatile organic substances, pesticides, solvents, dioxins, PCB's, and disinfection by-products.

Parameters exceeding prescribed half-standard

Any inorganic or organic parameter(s) that exceeded half the standard prescribed in Schedule 2 of prescribed standards documented in Ontario Regulation 169/03 - Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards or prescribed standards documented within Ontario Regulation 170/03 - Drinking Water Systems for large municipal residential drinking water systems.

Where there have been no instances of a half-standard exceedance for the reporting period, the table will show "NIL".

Sodium - Prescribed standard is 20

Result value or range (minimum number)-(maximum number)	Date of sample
10.9 - 12.15	Feb. 8 May 10 Aug. 16

*Prescribed standards are copied from Ontario Regulation 169/03 - Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards. The prescribed standard for sodium is copied from Ontario Regulation 170/03 - Drinking Water Systems.

Water

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