Safe Water

The Brant County Health Unit provides a number of services as part of the Provincial Safe Water Program. The aim of this program is to prevent or reduce the burden of water-borne illnesses related to drinking water.

Private Well Water

The Brant County Health Unit offers free well water testing for residents whose drinking water comes from a private well.

Water samples are tested for two types of bacteria: total coliforms and E. coli.

Total coliforms. These bacteria are often found in animal waste, sewage, soil and vegetation. If they are in your drinking water, it means contaminated surface water may be entering your well.
E. coli (Escherichia coli). These bacteria are normally found only in the digestive systems of people and animals. If they are in your drinking water, it usually means that animal or human sewage waste is entering your well from a nearby source.

If these bacteria are in your water, they could cause illness such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, and other symptoms, which can lead to additional health concerns.

All private well owners are encouraged to get their water tested every spring, summer and fall, even if it looks, tastes and smells fine.

We also recommend that you test your water:

After any repairs to your well;
If your well hasn't been used for several weeks;
If there is flooding in the area; or
If you notice a change in your water (e.g. smell, taste or colour).

Whether your test results are positive or negative, it is important to understand that the sample you collected is just a "snapshot" of your well's water quality. The more samples you have tested, the more confident you can be about the quality of the water you and your family are drinking.

In addition to regularly testing well water, owners should inspect their well at least once a year to make sure it is free from damage and in good working condition.

We do not test well water samples for chemicals like sodium, nitrates, and lead. Please contact a private lab for further testing.

Hydrogen Sulphide [PDF]

Hydrogen Sulphide Brochure

Water bottle pick-up and drop-off locations

Water testing bottle pick-up locations

Testing bottles can be picked up at the Health Unit, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except holidays), and at the following locations throughout the county:

County of Brant Office Locations	Address	Pick-up Hours
Burford	County of Brant Administrative Office 26 Park Avenue	Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Paris	County of Brant Customer Service Office 66 Grand River Street North	Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
St. George	St. George Public Library 78 Main Street North	Please check the website for hours.
Scotland	Scotland Public Library 281 Oakland Road, PO Box 40	Please check the website for hours.

Water sample drop-off locations, dates and times

Water samples can be dropped off at the following two locations:

Brantford

Brant County Health Unit
194 Terrace Hill Street, Brantford
Monday to Thursday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Please do not bring water samples to the Health Unit on Fridays or on the following days in 2022 when our office is closed:

January 3 - Closed
April 15 - Closed
April 18 - Closed
May 23 - Closed
July 1 - Closed
August 1 - Closed
September 5 - Closed
September 30 - Closed
October 10 - Closed
December 26 - Closed
December 27 - Closed

Burford

County of Brant Office
26 Park Avenue, Burford
Last Wednesday of every month (except December)
8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Water sample can be dropped off in Burford on the following days:

January 26, 2022
February 23, 2022
March 30, 2022
April 27, 2022
May 25, 2022
June 29, 2022
July 27, 2022
August 31, 2022
September 28, 2022
October 26, 2022
November 30, 2022

Collecting and submitting a water sample

How do I collect and submit a water sample?

The lab will only accept water samples taken directly into the proper water testing bottle. The sample should only be taken from an indoor drinking water tap, from a kitchen or bathroom.

Wash hands before taking the sample.
Remove screen, aerator or other attachments from kitchen faucet.
Clean end of the faucet with an alcohol swab or diluted 5.25% bleach solution
[1 part household bleach to 10 parts water = 50 mL (1/4 cup) bleach to 500 mL (2 cups) water or 10 mL (2 tsp) bleach to 90 mL (6 tbsp) water]
Run cold water for at least five minutes.
Keep sample bottle closed until the moment you are ready to fill it.
Remove the bottle cap and hold the cap between the fingers, not touching the inside or setting it down to touch a surface (like the counter).
Do not touch the inside of the bottle or rinse the bottle out since it contains a preservative for transporting.
Hold the bottle near the bottom and fill to the 200 mL fill-line (maximum amount) and recap immediately.
Keep the blue card and attach one barcode sticker from the bottle, for your records; you will need this code if you wish to call the lab for your results.
Put your name on the label found in the bag that came with the bottle, attach it to the bottle, then place the completed form back into the plastic bag provided, and attach it to the bottle with the elastic.
Transport samples to the drop-off locations within 24 hours of taking the sample. Your water sample should not be left sitting for a long period of time as this can lead to inaccurate results. Samples must be kept cold after sampling. If you are transporting samples on a hot day, keep in a cooler with an icepack or bag of ice.

Instructions for taking a sample are also included with the sample bottle and are available on the Public Health Ontario webpage.

Watch this short video from Niagara Public Health to learn how to collect a well water sample:

How to fill out your form

Fill out all grey-shaded areas on the form. If your form is incomplete, the laboratory will not test your sample, and you will need to submit another sample with another form.

Include:
(* mandatory)

First and last name*
Complete mailing address*
Location of the water source* (include emergency locator number/911, county and postal code if possible)

Note: if well location is the same as mailing address, please check off the box for "Water Source same as Property owner or resident's mailing address". If well location is different from mailing address, please fill in the shaded areas on the right-hand side of the form, including street address, lot, concession, and township/municipality.

Date and time you collected the sample* (include year)
Public health unit number (see page 2 of the instructions; Brant County Health Unit is #2227)
Check off (yes or no) if you use a purification system
Daytime telephone number (include area code)
Select how you would like to receive your test results: by mail or pick up at the laboratory (located in Hamilton)

Sample filled out form:

Free well water testing events in Brant County

We offer free well water testing events in Brant County throughout the year.
We do not have any events scheduled at this time.

Please check this section regularly for updates.

Test results

Obtaining your test results

You can get your test results within two to four business days after you drop off your sample, either by phone, mail or in person.

Telephone: Call 1-877-723-3426 and key in the barcode number from the sample bottle (PIN) to hear an automated message with your test results and interpretation.
Mail: If you indicated on the form that you want the report mailed to you, or forgot to select an option, the report will be mailed to the name and address written on the form.
In person at Public Health Lab in Hamilton, 250 Fennell Ave W., Hamilton, ON, telephone: (905) 385-5379. If you indicated on the form that you will pick up the report at the laboratory, you will need to show your photo identification at the reception desk during regular operating hours.

For more details please visit Public Health Ontario.

Understanding your sample results

Please note that "unsafe for drinking" means you must use an alternate drinking water source such as:

Boiled drinking water (bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute); or
Bottled water; or
Treated water (water that has gone through a treatment system).

Total Coliforms	E. Coli	What it means
0	0	Safe for drinking. Maintain regular testing.
1-5	0	Three samples with these results, collected one to three weeks apart, indicate a bacteriologically-safe supply, if the supply is protected and located at least 15 m (50 ft.) for a drilled well or 30 m (100 ft.) for other types of wells from any source of human or animal waste. Repeat samples may not show exactly the same results because bacteria are not distributed uniformly in water. Contamination tends to enter intermittently. If above steps are not met, water source is unsafe for drinking, unless boiled or treated.
6 to >80	0	Unsafe for drinking unless boiled or treated. Common with new wells before disinfection and shallow-dug wells that are not properly sealed.
1 to >80	1 to >80	Unsafe for drinking unless boiled or treated. The water is contaminated and should not be used for drinking under any circumstance. The contamination is likely due to waste of human or animal origin.
Est.	---	Unsafe for drinking unless boiled or treated. Number has been estimated due to some interference with the test. Exact number is not critical for judging safety, especially if in excess of limits shown above.
O/G	---	Unsafe for drinking unless boiled or treated. Test was overgrown with non-coliform bacteria, making the coliform results unclear. Collect another sample. If condition persists, consult a Public Health Inspector. This condition frequently occurs with new wells, dug wells receiving soil drainage, or wells that have been idle for some time.

If you have questions about your sample results, please contact the Health Unit to speak with a Public Health Inspector at 519-753-4937 ext. 470.

Disinfecting your well

If your lab result shows that your water is unsafe, you will need to disinfect your well. A one-time (shock) chlorination of your well is one option that may make your well safe again. This procedure is not recommended if the well is dug (because dug wells are at a higher risk for contamination), or if there is a known source of contamination. In these cases, you need a more permanent solution such as a new well or treatment device such as a chlorinator or an ultraviolet light. Consult a licensed well driller or plumber for help. Similarly, if shock chlorination does not work, consider adding a treatment device or constructing a new well.

Any work or maintenance done on your well should be completed by a well contractor licensed under the Ontario Water Resources Act.

To find a licensed contractor, visit the licensed well contractors directory.

How much household bleach will I need for my well?

Dug wells, 1 m (3 ft.) in diameter: Add 1 L (1 qt.) of household bleach for every 1.5 m (5 ft.) of water depth.

Drilled wells, 15 cm (6 in.) in diameter: Add 85 mL (3 oz.) of household bleach for every 7.5 m (25 ft.) of water depth.

Well points, 5 cm (2 in.) in diameter: Add 85 mL (3 oz.) of household bleach for every 3 m (10 ft.) of water depth.

Do not drink the water until you retest your water and the results show zero bacteria in the water. Please follow the instructions below; you can also print this disinfection instruction sheet.

Pour household bleach (do not use lemon-scented or laundry bleach as listed on the label) down the well. Make sure the bleach contains at least 5.25% chlorine. If you do not know how deep the water is in the well, use the well depth to estimate how much bleach to add.
Remove sanitary well cap if possible or use venthole in a drilled well to pour in the chlorine.
Disconnect any filters/treatment devices, run water through all taps and let sit for 12 hours. Turn on each tap—inside and outside your house—one at a time. Let the water run until you smell a strong odour of chlorine. If you can't smell chlorine, add more to the well.
Let the chlorinated water stay in the plumbing system for at least 12 hours. Do not run any water at this time.
After 12 hours, starting from outside, run the treated water through an outside hose away from the septic system until you no longer smell chlorine. This will reduce the impact the chlorine has on your septic system.
Continue to run and flush the water for each tap in the house until there is no longer a strong odour of chlorine.
Wait a minimum of 48 hours and resample your well water for testing.
Following a shock chlorination, we recommend that you submit two samples for testing, each collected one to three weeks apart. If both sample results show zero bacteria, that indicates a bacteriologically-safe supply of water, and that the treatment has been effective.

You can also use Public Health Ontario's Well Disinfection Tool to help you calculate the amount of chlorine product that is needed to disinfect a well.

Additional Resources:
How to Use Water Safely During a Boil Water Advisory

Well water treatment

There are various water treatment devices available for treating your well water. When selecting a water treatment device for your household, it is important to select one that will address your specific water contamination concern. The table below provides a brief description of the uses and limitations of the listed water treatment methods.

We recommended that you hire a licensed plumber or tradesperson to install your drinking water treatment device.

It is important to continue to monitor the quality of your drinking water through regular testing for bacteria (three times a year), even when a treatment device is being used. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper installation, use and maintenance of your treatment device.

Water treatment method	Uses	Limitations
Ultraviolet light	Kills all micro-organisms Used with filtration to remove microbes attached in dirt particles, including parasites	UV lamp must be kept clean UV lamp must be replaced yearly or as indicated in manufacturer's instructions Pre-filter needs to be changed regularly
Distillation	Kills all microbes by heat Removes heavy metals and nitrates Often used in combination with activated carbon filters	Can concentrate chemicals with boiling points lower than water in distilled water (like ammonia) Needs regular descaling and weekly disinfecting with bleach or heat
Chlorination	Kills bacteria and viruses Used with filtration to remove microbes shielded or attached in dirt particles, including parasites	Needs careful handling of chlorine Needs testing of chlorine levels Needs maintenance of dosing pump
Ozonation	Kills most microorganisms but not cryptosporidium Removes organic compounds, including pesticides Can be used in combination with activated carbon filters	Needs filtration ro remove microbes attached in dirt particles, including parasites Varies in effectiveness depending on the application and manufacturer
Activated carbon filtration*	Removes traces of organic compounds and chemicals, including pesticides Used for removing tastes and odours	Not suitable for removing minerals or larger amounts of chemicals Must be replaced regularly Can become a dangerous source of bacteria, and taste and odour problems
Reverse osmosis*	Removes nitrates, sulphates, hardness, most microbes, dirt particles and small amounts of some pesticides Used in combination with activated carbon filters	Can result in plugged membranes because of hard water Costly because of need to replace membrane Needs pre-filtration and softening of hard water
Greensand treatment	Removes moderate amounts of iron and manganese	Not suitable for removing microbes Difficult to operate or maintain
Water softeners	Reduce hardness that produces lime deposits on dishwashed items and gives a starched effect on laundry	Not suitable for removing microbes or most chemicals Increase sodium concentration in treated water

* Should not be used with microbiologically unsafe waters or water of unknown microbiological quality.

Links and resources

How to Use Water Safely During a Boil Water Advisory
Harmful Algae Blooms [PDF]
Sodium Fact Sheet
Boil Water Order Guidelines for Food Establishments
Be Well Aware: Build and Maintain Your Well [PDF] (Health Canada)
Be Well Aware: Test Your Well Water [PDF] (Health Canada)
Be Well Aware: Protect and Clean Your Well [PDF] (Health Canada)
Be Well Aware: Treat Your Well Water - A Step-By-Step Guide [PDF](Health Canada)
Be Well Aware: Ensure Your Well Water is Safe During and After Emergencies [PDF] (Health Canada)
A Guide to Caring for Your Well and Protecting Your Family's Health (Well Aware)
Ministry of Environment-Licensed Laboratories
Ontario Ground Water Association
Well Water Sampling Instructions (Public Health Ontario)
Well Disinfection Tool (Public Health Ontario)
Reporting Forms for Adverse Water and New Drinking Water Systems (Ministry of Ontario)
Know Your Well Water Quality – Nitrate
Testing and treating private water wells

Small Drinking Water Systems

If your business or premises makes drinking water available to the public and you do not get your drinking water from a municipal drinking water system, you may be an owner or operator of a small drinking water system (SDWS). Systems serving designated facilities are not considered small drinking water systems and remain under MOECC regulation.

Small drinking water systems (are regulated under Ontario SDWS Regulation 319. Public health inspectors (PHIs) conduct an on-site risk assessment for every small drinking water system. The system will be categorized as low, medium or high risk and the PHI will issue a directive outlining what the owner/operator of the system must do to keep the drinking water safe. The directive may include, but is not limited to, water testing requirements, treatment requirements, and operator raining.

SDWS are monitored by Public Health to ensure all requirements are being met and all adverse test results are reported to Public Health. Boil water or drinking water advisories may be issued by the operator or Public Health to protect the health of the water system users in the case of an adverse bacteriological result, an adverse observation or an outbreak associated with the water system.

Links and resources

Drinking Water Hauler Inspection Program

The BCHU drinking water haulage vehicles often supply water to homes in rural areas serviced by cisterns or shallow wells with poor or unreliable water yield. Hauled drinking water is also relied upon in emergency situations by municipalities, businesses, and homes in cases where a risk to public health has been associated with or identified in drinking water supplies. The protection of drinking water is crucial to preventing the spread of water-borne disease and preventing contamination of water systems. Public Health Inspectors from the Brant County Health Unit will be conducting inspections of locally-based drinking water haulers.

BCHU Drinking Water Hauler Guidance

If you have more questions about our Safe Water program and services, please contact Environmental Health at 519-753-4937 ext. 470 or emailenvironmentalhealth@bchu.org to speak with a Public Health Inspector.

Reports

Safe Water