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What causes water pollution?
Is my tap water
safe to drink?
Yes!
To ensure the
purity of our water, we test the water continuously during and after
treatment. In fact, we conduct more tests and on many more substances
than required by regulation. At the City of Toronto, we take drinking
water samples every four to six hours to confirm the absence of bacteria.
We use only
the necessary chemicals to treat the water, including chlorine,
to kill E.coli and other bacteria that may be present. A tiny (and
harmless) amount of chlorine is left in the water to ensure its
continued safety as it travels to you.
If we are concerned
about the quality of water, we immediately notify Toronto's Medical
Officer of Health and the Ministry of the Environment.
For more information,
call our Water Education Line at: 416-392-4546.
What is the best choice of drinking water: bottled or tap water?
The answer is clear: tap water!
That's because
our water is:
- of excellent
quality
- strictly
monitored
- affordable.
When we look
at issues such as quality, monitoring and affordability, we see
that bottled water doesn't always make the grade. For instance,
some brands may be of excellent quality, but others can have inferior
bacteriological quality. And all bottled waters are expensive. Another
important fact: there are fewer government regulations to guide
the bottle water industry. While bottled waters should meet the
Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, monitoring requirements
aren't as stringent as are those for tap water.
For quality,
consistency and affordability, tap water wins every time.
What is Toronto's
'water hardness' and how does it affect me?
Toronto's water hardness is usually between 106 to 127 parts per million (the average for 2009 was 120 milligram/litre or 8.4 grains/imperial gallon). Lake Ontario water is considered 'moderate'
in terms of water hardness. There are no harmful health effects
associated with these minerals (in fact, some believe they are beneficial),
but measuring them does provide a guideline as to how water use
may be affected. For example, hard water does result in more scale
buildup and you need to use more soap and detergents. If you choose
a water softener, it's recommended that a separate, unsoftened supply
of water be kept for cooking and drinking.
Also, when you
buy a new appliance, such as a dishwasher, the manufacturer often
makes reference to water hardness. This is because hard water can
cause automatic dishwashers to leave film on dishes and build-up
of minerals on mechanical parts. It may also cause washing machines
to leave residue on articles of clothing. If you have this problem,
check your user manual on available solutions.
Why do we
use chlorine and fluoride in our water?
Chlorine is used to control bacteria, algae and viruses that
can be found in the water. It's considered one of the most important
tools to disinfect drinking water. It's actually been in use for
more than 100 years and is responsible for ending disease epidemics
that were widespread prior to its use. If extra chlorine is used
(to ensure disinfection of the plant) before the water is pumped
to your home, sulphur dioxide is added to reduce the chlorine to
a residual level. Ammonia is then added to stabilize the residual.
All of this meets Ontario's regulatory requirement for water.
Fluoride
is added to treated water to reduce the risk of dental cavities.
Toronto Public Health advises the City about setting the fluoride
target level for treated water. And in keeping with Health Canada
Guidelines, our fluoride level maximizes dental health benefits
and minimizes concerns about over exposure.
Chlorine and
fluoride are key ingredients to water quality and public health
and safety.
Why is my
water pressure so low?
The water pressure in your home is determined by many factors.
They include:
- location:
your water pressure may be low, depending on the distance from
the pumping station.
- water service
line: the diameter of the service line could be too small.
- pipes: it's
possible that the pipes in your home are clogged by mineral
deposits from long time use. This can be solved by replacing
your water pipes.
For more information,
call us at 416-392-4546.
What can
I do to use less water to save money and still be environmentally
responsible?
Reduce, repair and retrofit. The 3Rs of water efficiency are great
ways to save money and help our environment. They're also easy to
put in place, any time, day or night.
The Toronto
Water offers several tools and water-efficiency programs to help
you use less water. They include:
For more information
visit our Web site or call 416-392-7000.
Are our
beaches safe for swimming?
During
the summer, Toronto's 10 beaches are tested daily for water quality.
If the water quality is not acceptable for swimming, Toronto Public
Health posts signs warning against swimming.
When a beach
is posted, Public Health officials advise swimmers not to enter
these waters due to the high amounts of E. coli bacteria in the
water. E. coli bacteria, which is found in animal and human waste,
can cause ear, nose, and throat infections, as well as stomach upsets,
skin rashes, and diarrhea. Those most susceptible to E. coli infection
include young children, the elderly, and those with depressed immune
systems.
However, thanks
to several system improvement projects by the City, our beaches
continue to be a favourite watering hole for many Torontonians.
For more information
on protecting water quality or to check the beach water quality
report, go to www.toronto.on.ca/water.
What causes
water pollution?
There are three major contributors to water pollution including:
- overflow
of diluted sewage from combined sewers (pipes carrying both
storm and sanitary wastewater) during heavy rainfalls.
- pollutants,
such as road salt, animal wastes, pesticides, oil, etc, that
are carried into the lake from creeks and rivers or via storm
sewers
- stormwater
pollution from Toronto's municipal neighbours that is carried
downstream.
What is
the City doing to deal with water pollution?
The City has what's called a Wet
Weather Flow Management Master Plan. The plan addresses issues
associated with stormwater and combined sewer overflow. Its goal
is to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, the negative effects of
wet weather flow - runoff that is generated when it rains or snows.
Other pollution
prevention projects include:
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