Homeowner Information & Resources
This collection of resources provides information related to questions commonly received from private homeowners and members of the public. Information related to water testing, home treatment systems, wells, source water protection and water related emergencies can be found here.
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
Water Testing
Well Water Testing (Private Drinking Water) – Public Health Units provide testing for the presence of the bacterial indicators of contamination, E. coli and total coliforms in private drinking water systems.
Public Health Units – Find your local Public Health Unit in this directory for information on local water testing programs.
Testing Your Water – A video demonstrating how to collect a water sample for the Public Health Unit’s bacterial indicator testing program.
Well Water Testing– Well Wise Water Testing is a program administered by the Ontario Ground Water Association for consumers and well contractors.
List of Licensed Labs – A directory of labs licensed to test drinking water in the province of Ontario if you would like to pay for private testing.
Drinking Water Quality – Indicator Bacteria (Total Coliforms and E. Coli) – A fact sheet describing the Public Health Unit’s test for bacterial indicators of contamination.
How Do I Get My Drinking Water Tested? – A fact sheet made by the Walkerton Clean Water Centre summarizing how a homeowner can go about testing their water.
Instructions for well owners who have e. coli and total coliforms in their well sample results – Public Health guidance for unacceptable test results.
Testing and Treating Private Water Wells – A Government of Ontario guide for private well owners.
Well Water Contaminants of Concern – Information on common groundwater contaminants from Wellowner.org.
Home Water Treatment
A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment Technologies for Household Use – A fact sheet produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the effectiveness of point-of-use or point-of-entry drinking water treatment technologies for household use against different contaminants.
A Guide to Water Filters – This guide was produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for filtering tap water (previously treated water).
Choosing Home Water Filters & Other Water Treatment Systems – This guide was produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Contaminant Reduction Claims Guide – This guide was produced by NSF International who certifies purification systems designed to reduce contaminants. This directory shows which systems they have certified to reduce lead, arsenic, bacteria, cysts, viruses, chlorine, chloramine, chromium, fluoride, nitrate/nitrite, PFOA/PFOS, trihalomethanes and volatile organic compounds.
Do I Need to Use Certified Products or Materials for my Drinking Water? – A Walkerton Clean Water Centre fact sheet providing information on how to select plumbing products and treatment systems for your drinking water at home.
Drinking Water Safety – Cisterns – A fact sheet produced by Haldimand and Norfolk Health and Social Services about maintaining, cleaning and disinfecting a cistern.
Drinking Water Treatability Database – Presents referenced information on the control of contaminants in drinking water. After selecting ‘Find a Contaminant’ you will find a ‘Treatment Processes’ tab that lists the treatment processes with literature on the log or percent removal, water quality conditions and operational parameters references in the ‘Data’ tab.
Hard Water at Home – A homeowner’s guide to hard water and similar issues produced by a real estate company.
Home Water Treatment System Selection – A guide for selecting a home water treatment system produced by NSF International.
Rainwater Collection – Tips and information for homeowners interested in collecting rainwater to conserve resources by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Ultimate Guide to Well Water Treatment – A guide to understanding well water and possible methods of treatment written by a plumber.
Plumbing
Flushing Your Home: How to Flush an Entire House Plumbing System– A step-by-step guide produced by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to flush the plumbing in your home.
How Much Water Does a Leaky Toilet Waste? – A video experiment showing you how much water is wasted by a leaky toilet in your home.
How to Drain Your Water Heater – Step-by-step instructions produced by the District of Columbia for draining your water heater.
How to Find Your Water Shut Off Valve – This video demonstrates how to locate and operate your water shut off valve to prevent further water damage during an emergency.
How to Fix a Bathtub Faucet with EPCOR’s Blue Bucket Crew – Step-by-step video instructions to replace a leaky cartridge in a bathtub faucet.
How to Fix a Double-Stem Faucet with EPCOR’s Blue Bucket Crew – Step-by-step video instructions to fix a leaky double-stem faucet.
How to Fix a Leaky Toilet with EPCOR’s Blue Bucket Crew – Step-by-step video instructions to fix a leaky toilet.
How to Fix a Single-Stem Faucet with EPCOR’s Blue Bucket Crew – Step-by-step video instructions to fix a leaky single-stem faucet.
How to flush your own (drinking water) pipes at home – A video made by the Green Bay Utility demonstrating how to flush all the plumbing in a typical home.
How to Identify Lead Free Certification Marks for Drinking Water System and Plumbing Products – A fact sheet produced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for sourcing lead free certified products to be used for drinking water systems.
How to Prevent Your Pipes from Freezing – A video demonstrating how to prevent frozen water lines to keep the water flowing in your home.
Do I Need to Use Certified Products or Materials for my Drinking Water? – A Walkerton Clean Water Centre fact sheet providing information on how to select plumbing products and treatment systems for your drinking water at home.
How to Install a Water Softener– A video produced by US Water Systems providing general directions for installing a water softener.
Water Meters
How to Read Your Water Meter: Automated Model – A video demonstrating how to read your automated water meter.
How to Read Your Water Meter: Dial Model (Manual)– A video demonstrating how to read your manual dial-type water meter.
Wells
View these other posts on the WCWC online library for more information.
Well Aware and Well Wise Program Resources for Homeowners
Wells Help Desk and Well Records in Ontario
Well Construction and Licensing
Source Water Protection
View this post on the WCWC online library for more information.
Emergency Disinfection
Disinfecting Wells After a Disaster
Read More
List of Laboratories Licensed to Perform Drinking Water Testing in Ontario
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks provides a list of laboratories licensed to perform drinking water tests in Ontario. Prior to submitting samples please contact the licensed laboratory to determine if samples will be accepted. Some laboratories will not accept samples from external clients. The full, up-to-date list can be found at the link below.
List of Licensed Laboratories
WCWC has assembled an interactive map to assist with finding a laboratory based on the type of sample being analyzed and geographic location. Different layers on the map show locations that can test for microbiological, organic chemical, inorganic chemical, radiological or physical parameters. This map was prepared from the list updated online as of June 8, 2022. This map can be viewed below.
List of Laboratories Licensed to Perform Drinking Water Testing in Ontario map
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water or view these similar posts.
Homeowner Information and Resources
Small Drinking Water Systems Resources
Disponible en français.
Read More
Well Aware and Well Wise Program Resources for Homeowners
Well Aware
Well Aware was a program of Green Communities Canada that encouraged Ontario’s residential well owners to protect their wells and our common groundwater supplies.
Since 2001, Well Aware has helped more than 3,900 Ontarians to gain confidence in the management of their wells and to protect their family’s drinking water. An additional 217,000 residents have benefited from our Well Aware booklet, “A Guide to Caring for your Well.”
Well Aware Booklet – A Guide to Caring for Your Well
Well Wise
The Well Wise Water Testing Program is administered by the Ontario Ground Water Association for consumers and well contractors.
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
Disponible en français.
Read More
Private Wells
This post provides information to homeowners related to operating and maintaining their private water supply wells.
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
Water Supply Wells: Requirements and Best Practices – Best management practices and recommended techniques that help a person constructing a well to go beyond the minimum standards set by the Ontario Wells Regulation and better protect and minimize adverse impacts to our environment.
Best Management Practices: Water Wells – A hardcopy publication that can be ordered through Service Ontario for well owners. Explains well components, maintenance, new well construction requirements and procedures for unused wells.
Private Well Water Manual – A Quick Users Guide – A manual produced by the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit for homeowners either installing a new well on their property or for those who have questions about an existing well.
Wells on Your Property – Information and rules for residential well owners for the proper location, construction, maintenance and abandonment of a well from the Ministry of the Environment of Ontario.
Water Supply Wells: Technical Bulletins – A series of technical bulletins on well issues created for a person who currently owns a water supply well. The purpose is to summarize the information found in the Water Supply Wells – Requirements and Best Management Practices manual published by the Ministry of the Environment of Ontario.
Well Records – Directions on how to complete, submit or get a copy of a well record in Ontario.
Well Records Map – This map allows you to search and view well record information from reported wells in Ontario.
Be Well Aware, Information for Private Well Owners – The Be Well Aware series will help you take the right steps to protect your well water from bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemicals that could make you sick. Produced by Health Canada.
Water Well Care Info Sheets – The Water Systems Council has developed a complete library of water well care information sheets to educate well owners about the basics of their well system, the importance of water well maintenance, keeping good records, water well testing and understanding your results, and how to protect and conserve your water supply for years to come.
Well Aware Booklet – A Guide to Caring for Your Well – The Well Aware booklet was compiled by Green Communities Canada, in partnership with the Ontario Ground Water Association, with financial support from Ontario Ministry of the Environment.
Well Aware Video – Since 2001, Well Aware has helped more than 3,900 Ontarians to gain confidence in the management of their wells and to protect their family’s drinking water. This video accompanies the booklet compiled by Green Communities Canada, the Ontario Ground Water Association and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.
Water Well Basics – Knowing the basics about water wells is important whether you are planning a well, are a new well owner, or have owned a well for a long time. Knowing the basics can equip you to make sound decisions about your water well system. Produced by wellowner.org.
Water Well Maintenance – Regular water well system maintenance is important. Knowing and practicing the basics of regular well maintenance can reduce risks to your water supply and prevent costly and inconvenient breakdowns. Produced by wellowner.org.
Groundwater Quality and Quantity – The quality of your water is important. Knowing the basics about water testing and treatment can help you diagnose and address water quality issues-whether they be matters of taste, odor, or appearance, or health risks. Produced by wellowner.org.
Well Owner’s Guide – The National Ground Water Association Well Owners Guide is a comprehensive manual where you’ll find valuable information from proper well construction, routine well maintenance and water testing. Email subscription required for download link.
Buying a Home With a Well – A Water Systems Council fact sheet produced to help prospective or current homeowners make informed decisions when buying a home with a well.
Find Licensed Well Contractors – Use this directory to find licensed well contractors in Ontario.
Free Private Well Training – This program is a collaboration between the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) and the Illinois State Water Survey to boost knowledge of well owners and the water professionals that serve well owners day to day.
Learn about Private Water Wells – Information from the US Environmental Protection Agency about types of wells, well components, and selecting new well locations and construction.
Learn About Groundwater – Groundwater is one of our most valuable resources—even though you probably never see it or even realize it is there. There is water somewhere beneath your feet no matter where on Earth you live. This collection is part of a series produced by the United States Geological Survey called Water Science School.
Groundwater and the Rural Homeowner – A report produced by the United States Geological Survey for prospective or current rural homeowners to gain a basic yet comprehensive overview of ground water and problems one may expect to encounter and some solutions.
Overview of Water-related Diseases and Contaminants in Private Wells – A webpage produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listing top causes of outbreaks in individual private wells. Links to more information on specific germs or chemicals can be found on this page.
What to do After the Flood – A fact sheet of emergency procedures for when flood conditions threaten your well produced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Disinfection
Well Disinfection Tool – The well disinfection tool provides an easy way to calculate the amount of chlorine product that is needed to disinfect a well. The tool also provides the procedures and precautions to take when disinfecting the well. Produced by Public Health Ontario.
Chlorine Dilution Calculator– This easy-to-use calculator tells you how much bleach product to dilute with water to get your desired concentration (ppm) of chlorine solution. Produced by Public Health Ontario.
View these similar posts on the WCWC online library for more information.
Homeowner Information and Resources
Well Aware and Well Wise Program Resources for Homeowners
Wells Help Desk and Well Records in Ontario
Well Construction and Licensing
Read More