Water Quality Frequently Asked Questions:
- Is our water safe to drink?
- Where can I see water quality data?
- Is our water hard or soft?
- Is there fluoride in our water?
- What chemicals are added to the water?
- Where does our water come from?
- I don't like the taste of my water. What can I do?
- I have pinkish stains in my toilet and/or shower. Why?
- I have whitish/grayish flakes in my tap water. Why?
- Is there lead in our water?
Q. Is our water safe to drink?
A. Yes. We do more than 10,000 water tests annually to ensure delivery of safe water.
Q. Where can I see water quality data?
A. Annual reports and monthly data table are available at this link.
Q. Is our water hard or soft?
A. Soft (<10 ppm calcium carbonate). *Residents in the Sumas Prairie or south of Highway 1 may occasionally receive moderately hard water when the wells are operating.
Q. Is there fluoride in our water?
A. No. We do not add fluoride to the water and natural background levels are negligible.
Q. What chemicals are added to the water?
A. Chlorine and ammonia are added to create chloramines for disinfection; soda ash is added to raise pH.
Q. Where does our water come from?
A. There are three sources:
- 85% of water comes from Norrish Creek (NE of Mission);
- 10% from Cannell Lake (N of Mission);
- 5% from wells in south Abbotsford.
Q. I don't like the taste of my water. What can I do?
A. Many people find that chilling water before drinking it often improves its taste. Alternately activated carbon filters are usually the best solution for removing objectionable taste/odours (e.g. product like Brita).
Q. I have pinkish stains in my toilet and/or shower. Why?
A. Pink residues are generally not a problem with water quality. They are more likely a result of airborne bacteria which produce a pinkish film on regularly moist surfaces (such as toilet bowls and shower enclosures). The bacteria are not considered a health concern. Also, their presence has nothing to do with how clean you keep your home. Outdoor activities such as recent construction, can stir up the bacteria from the surrounding environment and then persist within your home. The best way to manage the pink stains is to clean surfaces frequently with chlorine-containing cleaners (e.g. bleach).
Q. I have whitish/greyish flakes in my tap water. Why?
A. Most often, white/greyish flakes source from your hot water tank. Over years, scale will build up on the inside of the tank, then start to flake off. The best method of managing the problem is to flush out your hot water tank annually.
Q. Is there lead in our water?
A. The amount of lead in our distribution system is very low, well below the Canadian Health guidelines for drinking water. However, household plumbing systems built before 1989 may have lead based solder and brass faucets that can leach lead when water sits stagnant. If a tap has not been used for six or more hours, let it run until the water is cold before using it for drinking or cooking purposes. To avoid water wastage, use the initially flushed water on your plants.
