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.
- 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 Aware booklet – Guides you through the life cycle of a well, how to maintain your well, and shows you how your well affects water quality.
- 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.
- Private Wells
- 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
- Chlorine Dilution Calculator
- Disinfecting Wells After a Disaster
- Well Disinfection Tool
- What to do After the Flood
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Public Health Inspector Resources
Guides
Drinking Water Quality in Canada
Ontario Public Health Standards: Protocols and Guidelines
Drinking Water Haulage Guidance Document
Practices for the Collection and Handling of Drinking Water Samples
Procedure for Disinfection of Drinking Water in Ontario
Public Health Inspectors Guide
Response to Adverse Drinking Water Quality Incidents
Small Drinking Water Systems: Operator’s Guide
Small Drinking Water Systems: Who Does What in Ontario?
Technical Support Document for Ontario Drinking Water Standards, Objectives and Guidelines
Protocols & Guidelines
Operational Approaches for Recreational Water Guideline, 2018
Recreational Water Protocol, 2019
Recreational Water Reference Document, 2019
Safe Drinking Water and Fluoride Monitoring Protocol, 2019
Small Drinking Water Systems Risk Assessment Guideline, 2018
Regulations
Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7
Ontario Water Resources Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.40
O. Reg. 170/03: DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS
O. Reg. 319/08: SMALL DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS
Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 32
Sampling & Analysis
Bacteriological Analysis of Water: Multiple Sample Requisition for Official Agencies
Drinking Water Testing – Official Agencies | Public Health Ontario
Drinking Water Testing – Private Citizen
Potability of Water Release Form
Practices for the Collection and Handling of Drinking Water Samples
Recreational Water Facilities and Public Pools Spas
Requisition for Specimen Containers and Supplies
Sewage, Suspected Sewage Contamination – Water
Water Testing – Who to Contact
Water Sample Analysis – Public Health Inspectors Guide
Well Water Testing (Private Drinking Water)
Arsenic from community water fluoridation: quantifying the effect
Emergency Management : Keeping Food and Water Safe after a Flood
Zika Virus Infection and the Flint, Michigan, Water Crisis: A Study in Surprising Commonalities
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Find Licensed Well Contractors
Laboratory Accreditation and Licensing
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Ministry of the Environment – District Locator
Ministry of the Environment – Drinking Water
Legionella
Environmental Microbiology Investigation Requisition Form
Legionella and the prevention of legionellosis
Legionella: Introduction of molecular screening of environmental water samples
Legionella (Legionnaires’ Disease and Pontiac Fever)
Legionella: questions and answers, 2nd edition
Legionella – Respiratory PCR and Culture
Legionellosis in Ontario, January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018
Legionellosis (Legionella, Legionnaires Disease)
Presentations
Legionellosis: Key Considerations for Case and Environmental Exposure Investigation
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Well Construction and Licensing
The licensing of well contractors and technicians promotes and supports enforcement of safe environmental practices to maintain the health of Ontario’s groundwater resources. You will need a well technician license or employ a person with a well technician license to construct, maintain, repair or upgrade a well.
This collection of resources was assembled for well contractors, technicians and anyone interested in learning the rules for constructing, maintaining or making repairs to a water well.
Rules for the person who is constructing a new water supply well.
You can also find the full set of requirements for well construction and licensing at:
Find a Contractor
- Find Licensed Well Contractors – Use this directory to find licensed well contractors.
- Find an Ontario Ground Water Association (OGWA) Member Contractor in your Area – Use this directory to find a contractor.
Licensing & Records
- Well Contractor License – How to apply for and renew a well contractor license so you can operate a well construction business.
- Well Technician License – How to apply for and renew a well technician license, as well as add a new class(es).
- Well Records – How to complete, submit or get a copy of a well record.
Technical Bulletins for Ontario’s Wells Regulation
- Completing the New Well’s Structure
- Completing the Structure of the New Test Hole or Dewatering Well
- Constructing New Multi-Level Monitoring Test Holes
- Constructing New Test Holes & Dewatering Wells
- Constructing New Test Holes & Dewatering Wells in Operation for No Longer than 180 Days
- Constructing New Uncased Test Holes & Dewatering Wells in Operation for No Longer than 30 Days
- Exempted Activities Performed on Wells, Including Test Holes & Dewatering Wells
- Flowing Test Holes and Dewatering Wells
- Flowing Wells
- Installing Equipment in a Well
- Licensing (Class 5) for individuals who Perform Tests on Wells
- New Construction of the Hole, Casing, Well Screen and Annular Space
- Shallow Works Test Holes and Dewatering Wells
- Site Considerations & Initial Planning for Test Holes & Dewatering Wells
- Siting a New Well
- Test Hole and Dewatering Well Licensing
- Test Hole & Dewatering Well Maintenance
- Test Hole & Dewatering Well Repairs & Alterations
- Test holes and dewatering wells – Requirements and best management practices
- Understanding the Meaning of Well, Test Hole and Dewatering Well
- Water Supply Wells: Requirements and Best Practices
- Well Abandonment: How to Plug and Seal a Test Hole or Dewatering Well
- Well Abandonment: How to Plug and Seal a Well
- Well Abandonment: When to Plug and Seal a Well
- Well Construction Licensing
- Well Disinfection
- Well Maintenance
- Well Record, Reporting & Tagging for a Test Hole & Dewatering Wells
- Well Repairs and Other Alterations
Well Technician Training
- Fleming College – Ontario Well Technician training courses at Fleming College including courses to obtain your license and courses to maintain your license.
- Lusk Geo Inc. – Provides training in groundwater, water wells, geothermal systems and Well Technician Licensing.
Associations
- Ontario Ground Water Association – a not for profit association consisting of professional members who are involved in the ground water industry in Ontario. They include — Well Drillers, Environmental/Geotechnical Drillers, Pump Installers, Manufacturers and Suppliers, as well as Scientists and Engineers. Included are the company owners as well as their employees.
- Canadian Water Quality Association – representing the Canadian water quality improvement industry.
- Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association – representing the onsite and decentralized wastewater industry in Ontario, including educators, regulators, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, and other parties.
- Hydrogeologists Without Borders – a Canadian non-profit organization and registered charity, based in Calgary.
- Canadian National Ground Water Association – a Canadian non-profit consisting of members of the ground water industry across Canada.
- Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (PGO) – governs the practice of professional geoscience in Ontario.
- Professional Engineers of Ontario – the licensing and regulating body for engineering in the province.
Water Testing
- Well Wise Water Testing Program– administered by the Ontario Ground Water Association. This program provides cost effective water testing for things other than bacteria in your water. Metals, minerals, salts, fuels, solvents, fluoride, mercury, sulfate, tannin/lignin, pesticides/herbicides, and glyphosates. Test bottles are shipped to you with return freight included. Not for Profit water testing.
- Public Health Unit (PHU) Testing – Find your local PHU for information on free well water testing for E. Coli and Coliform bacteria. Check your water spring, summer, and fall.
- List of Licensed Laboratories in Ontario – This is a list of laboratories licensed to perform drinking water tests in Ontario. Prior to submitting samples please contact the licensed laboratory for pricing .
- Testing Well Water – An instructional video on how to take an accurate sample of your well water for E. Coli and Coliform bacteria testing.
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
Photo from Luskgeo.com
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Wells Help Desk & Records in Ontario
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) operates a public Wells Help Desk to help ensure that information is available to the public. The Wells Helps Desk also receives and forwards well complaints to the appropriate ministry office, answers general questions on wells, assists well owners to locate their well record and assists the well industry sector in obtaining licenses, well record forms and well tags (MECP, 2021).
MECP Wells Help Desk
Mailing Address:
Wells Help Desk
Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Branch
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
125 Resources Road
Toronto ON M9P 3V6
Phone: Toll-free: 1-888-396-WELL (9355)
Fax: 1-416-235-5960
Email: wellshelpdesk@ontario.ca
Well Records & Requests
How to complete, submit or get a copy of a well record.
Well Records Open Data Catalog
Information and rules for residential well owners, including the proper location, construction, maintenance and abandonment of a well can be found at Wells on your property.
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
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Arsenic in Drinking Water
This post provides information on arsenic in drinking water and reducing arsenic through treatment options and optimization.
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
Fact Sheets
- Arsenic and Drinking Water from Private Wells
- Arsenic and Well Water
- Arsenic and Your Distribution System
- Arsenic in your Drinking Water: Just the Facts for Consumers
- Arsenic limits in Drinking Well Water
- Arsenic: WHO
- Arsenic: WQA
- Development of Low-Cost Treatment Options for Arsenic Removal in Water Treatment
- Drinking Water Program Fact Sheet: Recommendations for Arsenic Removal from Private Drinking Water Wells in Oregon
- Well Water Quality
Guides
- Arsenic in Drinking Water – It’s Your Health
- Arsenic in Drinking Water Rule: Economic Analysis
- Arsenic Treatment Technology Evaluation Handbook for Small Systems
- Best Practice Guide on the Control of Arsenic in Drinking Water (open access chapters only)
- Evaluation and Assessment of Arsenic Removal Technologies for New Jersey Drinking Water
- Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Guideline Technical Document – Arsenic
- How to Remove Arsenic in Well Water: 2021 Ultimate Guide
- Small Public Water System Technology Guide, Volume I – Arsenic Removal
Tools
- Arsenic Treatment Decision Trees
- Arsenic Virtual Trade Show Learning Portal
- Raw Water Chemicals Map – Public Health Ontario
Pilot Testing Reports & Summaries
- On-Site Testing for Arsenic Summary
- Options for the Reduction of Arsenic from a Groundwater Source
- Reduction of Arsenic in a Small Drinking Water System
Case Studies
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, Addressing Multiple Contaminants Through Treatment and Blending
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, Arsenic in Public Schools
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, Arsenic in Schools
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, Integration with Existing Reverse Osmosis Treatment
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, Pilot Studies Useful for Treatment Evaluations
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, Pooling Resources to Construct Arsenic Treatment Facility
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, Purchasing Water From a Neighboring Public Water System
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, System Purchase by Another Public Water System
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, Testing Emerging Technologies to Reduce Treatment Costs
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, The Value of Researching All Possible Alternatives
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, Tribal System Experience with Arsenic Rule Compliance
- Arsenic in Drinking Water: Compliance Success Stories, Water Quality Based Well Design
- Case Study – Arsenic Treatment Technologies Scottsdale, AZ
- Case Study – Arsenic Treatment Technologies Fairbanks, AK
- Case Study – Arsenic Treatment Technologies Tucson, AZ
- Case Study – Arsenic Treatment Technologies Southern California Water Company’s Hollydale System in Paramount, CA
- Case Study – Gardiner, Montana: Arsenic Treatment by Blending & Adsorption
- Case Study – Three Forks, Montana: Arsenic Treatment by Blending & Adsorption
Presentations
- A Case Study to Reduce Arsenic
- Arsenic in the Environment: Health Effects and Risk Assessment
- Arsenic: Municipal Industrial Sources and Biosolids Sinks
- Arsenic Removal by Zero Valent Iron: Influence of pH and Redox Potential
- Arsenic Removal Using Aged Rapid Sand Filter Media
- Arsenic Rule: Small Systems Implementation Strategy & Exemptions
- Arsenic Treatment: Basis of Design, Detailed Mathematics of Treatment & Review of Operations Monitoring
- Assessing Arsenic Removal By Zero-Valent Iron Under Various Water Quality Conditions
- Combined Hydrogen Sulfide & Arsenic Removal Using Aeration, Coagulation & Activated Carbon Filtration
- Complying With the Revised Drinking Water Standard for Arsenic: Small Entity Compliance Guide
- Evaluating Arsenic Treatment Providers: A Guide for Public Water Systems
- The Evaluation of Competitive Adsorption on Selected Arsenic Adsorption on Selected Arsenic Adsorbents
Reports
- Arsenic in Canadian Drinking Water
- Arsenic in Illinois Groundwater: Implications for Non-Community Public Water Supplies
- Arsenic Removal in Water Treatment Facilities: Survey of Geochemical Factors and Pilot Plant Experiments
- Assessing Innovative Arsenic Adsorbents
- Demonstration of Low-Cost Arsenic Removal from a Variety of Illinois Drinking Waters
- Development of an Anionic Exchange Glass Fiber Substrate POU Device to Remove Arsenic
- Evaluating Arsenic Removal Adsorbents
- Fate of Arsenic in the Mahomet Aquifer; The Influence of Added Sulfate and Nitrate
- Field Testing and Modeling of the Fenton-Filtration Process for Arsenic Removal
- Spatial Variability of Arsenic in Groundwater
- Technical Discussion Paper on Proposed Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards
- Temporal Variability of Arsenic in Municipal Well Water
- Treatment of Arsenic Contaminated Groundwater using Oxidation and Membrane Filtration
- Arsenic and Bacteriophage MS2 Removal from Groundwater by Nanoparticulate Aluminum Oxide Coated Granular Filter Media: A Pilot Scale Evaluation on the Effect of pH and Coating Density
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Wells Technical Bulletins
The Wells Regulation helps to ensure that groundwater quality, well water quality, and the environment are protected. The following series of technical bulletins were created for water supply well owners.
They summarize information found in the Water Supply Wells: Requirements and Best Management Practices manual published by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).
Technical Bulletins
- Completing the New Well’s Structure
- Flowing Wells
- Installing Equipment in a Well
- New Construction of the Hole, Casing, Well Screen and Annular Space
- Siting a New Well
- Well Abandonment: When to Plug and Seal a Well
- Well Abandonment: How to Plug and Seal a Well
- Well Construction Licensing
- Well Disinfection
- Well Maintenance
- Well Repairs and Other Alterations
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
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Well Components
These fact sheets describe different well components for learning purposes.
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
Common Well Components
Well Components: Pressure Switches – pdf (203.8 KiB)
Well Components: Valves – pdf (210.7 KiB)
Well Components: Your Pitless Adapter – pdf (202.6 KiB)
Well Components: Your Well Cap – pdf (202.1 KiB)
Well Components: Your Well Casing – pdf (202.0 KiB)
Well Components: Your Well Pump – pdf (202.5 KiB)
Well Components: Your Well Tank – pdf (202.4 KiB)
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