NORTH DUMFRIES WATER SYSTEM- REGION OF WATERLOO ANNUAL REPORTS

Firstly a mea culpa. I have been advising here occasionally that these reports are part of the Region's Annual Reports which do not focus on bacteria, chlorination, and other local distribution issues. Hence I have missed pointing out in some of these reports such as yesterday's (& more) Wellesley Supply System local distribution system issues such as Lead sampled and tested but NOT reported in the Regional reports. This is a failure by our authorities in that they are not putting the whole picture in front of us in one document. The Wellesley Regional Reports (& others) actually state in regards to lead testing " Not required. Plumbing exemption based on historic results. Next distribution sapling event in 2020.". This is unacceptable. Have we the public already forgotten the lead results in the Flint, Michigan water supply caused by both a change in water source (river water versus wells?) as well as the ongoing use of lead distribution pipes for drinking water? These following four Regional Reports for Four North Dumfries well systems have the exact same quote regarding non lead testing in them.

The first of the four North Dumfries water systems is the Ayr Water Supply Sysdtem. It consists of three wells, A1, A2, and A3. Supposedly the Region of Waterloo spent $1,500,000 last year to replace one watermain (Swan St.). On the face of it that seems awfully expensive.This system had two Adverse water Quality Incidents (AWQI) with Total Coliform (bacteria) being present in the distribution system in early August and early October last year. The corrective action did not include flushing or increasing chlorine residuals in the system. It consisted of only resampling the water after the fact. Ugh.Also HPC (Heterotrophic Plate Count) testing had an unacceptable maximum result of 81 Coliform Units. This is all the while having zero detections of either E.Coli or Total Coliforms in both the raw water and the treated water. This makes me suspect that more regular testing of raw and treated water is necessary because obviously that testing is missing incoming bacteria to the system. Sodium and Nitrate levels are fine as are HAA and THM levels. Method Detection Limits (MDL)
)especially Glyphosate) are too high for at least ten industrial/agricultural chemicals.

The Branchton Water System consists of wells BM2 and BM3. The BM stands for Branchton Meadows. This small water system had over $600,000 spent on upgrades last year including decommissioning well BM1 and connecting and commissioning well BM3. As could be expected well BM3 did not operate for the full year as it was not commissioned until well into the year. Sodium levels are too high at 87.3 mg/l. Nitrates and nitrites are fine. Haloacetic Acids (HAA) levels are
fine as were Trihalomethanes (THM) for three of the four samples taken during the year. The fourth sample was at a much higher 38.2 parts per billion (ppb) which while high is less than both the Ontario Drinking Water Standards (ODWS) and even half the standard which is usually specifically reported in these reports. MDLs are as bad as all the other regional reports including glyphosate.

The Lloyd Brown System is totally supplied by the Cambridge Distribution System which we know has multiple low level solvents (TCE & more) in it. Bacteria results are only supplied in this report for the Distribution System and not for the raw or treated water. These weekly only bacteria results in the Distribution System are zero. Despite this the maximum chlorine level of 3.18 mg/l exceeds the standard. HAAs and THMs are all at acceptable levels although there are no results for lead (or asbestos) as well as no results for any of the 44 industrial/agricultural chemicals routinely tested for by the Region. This lack of results in this specific report is unacceptable.

The last system is the Roseville Water System and it consists of wells R5 and R6. Bacteria levels are all at zero albeit with only weekly testing of the treated water and distribution system. The maximum HPC result is a little too high at 26. Sodium levels are fine as are Nitrates, nitrites, HAAs, and THMs. MDls as usual are too high for at least ten chemicals especially glyphosates.