STANDARDS OF QUALITY OF DRINKING WATER
1. Microbiological parameters
(a) water collected for microbiological analysis purposes must be free from pathogenic microorganisms and indicator microorganisms of fecal contamination, such as Escherichia coli bacteria, enterococci bacteria and F-specific coliphage viruses;
(b) water must not contain more than 10 total coliforms per 100 mL of water collected where a technique is used to count them;
(c) where, pursuant to section 11 of this Regulation, 21 water samples or more are collected over a period of 30 consecutive days, at least 90% of the samples must be free from total coliform bacteria;
(d) where, pursuant to section 11 of this Regulation, less than 21 water samples are collected over a period of 30 consecutive days, only one of the samples may contain total coliform bacteria;
(e) water must not contain more than 200 atypical colonies per membrane where the membrane filtration technique is used to count total coliform bacteria;
(f) water must not contain bacteria in such quantity that they may not be identified or counted where the membrane filtration technique is used to count total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli bacteria in 100 mL of water collected.
2. Parameters respecting inorganic substances
Water must not contain inorganic substances in a concentration greater than those indicated in the following table:
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Inorganic substances Maximum concentration
(mg/L)
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Antimony 0.006
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Arsenic (As) 0.010
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Barium (Ba) 1.0
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Boron (B) 5.0
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Bromates 0.010
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Cadmium (Cd) 0.005
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Chloramines(1) 3
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Chlorates (cf. 2013-03-08) 0.8
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Chlorites (cf. 2013-03-08) 0.8
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Chromium (Cr) 0.050
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Copper (Cu) 1.0
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Cyanides (CN) 0.20
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Fluorides (F) 1.50
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Lead (Pb) 0.010
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Mercury (Hg) 0.001
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Nitrates + nitrites 10.0
(expressed as N)
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Nitrites (expressed as N) 1.0
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Selenium (Se) 0.010
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Uranium (U) 0.020
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3. Parameters respecting organic substances
Water must not contain organic substances in a concentration greater than those indicated in the following table:
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Pesticides Maximum concentration
(µg/L)
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Aldicarb and its metabolites 7
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Aldrin and dieldrin 0.7
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Atrazine and its metabolites 3.5
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Azinphos-methyl 17
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Bendiocarb 27
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Bromoxynil 3.5
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Carbaryl 70
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Carbofuran 70
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(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy) acetic
acid also referred to as MCPA (cf. 2013-03-08) 30
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Chlorpyrifos 70
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Cyanazine 9
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Diazinon 14
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Dicamba 85
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Diclofop-methyl 7
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2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
also referred to as 2,4-D 70
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Dimethoate 14
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Dinoseb 7
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Diquat 50
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Diuron 110
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Glyphosate 210
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Malathion 140
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Methoxychlor 700
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Metolachlor 35
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Metribuzin 60
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Paraquat (in dichlorides) 7
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Parathion 35
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Phorate 1.4
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Picloram 140
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Simazine 9
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Terbufos 0.5
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Trifluralin 35
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Other organic substances Maximum concentration
(µg/L)
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Benzene 0.5
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Benzo(a)pyrene 0.01
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Carbon tetrachloride 5
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1,2-dichlorobenzene 150
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1,4-dichlorobenzene 5
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1,2-dichloroethane 5
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1,1-dichloroethylene 10
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Dichloromethane 50
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2,4-Dichlorophenol 700
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Microcystins (expessed as
microcystin-LR toxic equivalents)(2)
(cf. 2013-03-08) 1.5
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Monochlorobenzene 60
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Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) 280
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Pentachlorophenol 42
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Tetrachloroethylene 25
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2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol 70
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Trichloroethylene 5
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2,4,6-trichlorophenol 5
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Vinyl chloride 2
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Other organic substances Maximum average
concentration calculated over
4 quarters (µg/L)
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Haloacetic acids (monochloroacetic acid,
dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid,
monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid)(3)
(cf. 2013-03-08) 60
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Total trihalomethanes
(chloroform, bromodichloromethane,
chlorodibromomethane
and bromoform)(3) 80
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4. Parameters respecting radioactive substances
Water must not contain radioactive substances in a concentration greater than those indicated in the following table:
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Radioactive substances Maximum concentration
(Bq/L)
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Cesium-137 10
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Iodine-131 6
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Lead-210 (cf. 2013-03-08) 0.2
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Radium-226 0.5
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Strontium-90 5
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Tritium 7,000
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5. Parameters respecting turbidity
The turbidity of water must be less than or equal to 5 NTU (nephelometric turbidity units).
5.1. Treatment facilities covered by the third paragraph of section 22
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Process Limit value over Limit Value (NTU)
a period of
30 days (NTU)
Coagulated, filtrated and 0.3 in 95% of 1.0(5)
disinfected water measurements(4)(5)
Slow filtration or with 1.0 in 95% of 3.0
diatomaceous earth measurements(4)
Membrane filtration 0.1 in 95% of 0.2
measurements(4)
Other filtration, or Average of 1.0(6) 5.0
exclusion of filtration
under section 5
5.2. Treatment facilities covered by paragraph 3 of section 22.1
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Process Limit value over Limit Value (NTU)
a period of
30 days (NTU)
Coagulated, filtrated and 0.3 in 95% of 1.0(5)
disinfected water measurements(5)
Slow filtration or with 1.0 in 95% of 3.0
diatomaceous earth measurements
Membrane filtration 0.2 in 95% of 0.3
measurements
Other filtration, or Average of 1.0(6) 5.0
exclusion of filtration
under section 5
(1) For the purposes of this Schedule, chloramine concentration is the difference between the measurements of total residual chlorine and free residual chlorine.
(2)(cf. 2013-03-08) The concentrations of microcystin-LA, microcystin-RR, microcystin-YR and microcystin-YM must be converted using the equivalence factors below and then be added to the microcystin-LR concentrations:
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Variant microcystins Equivalence factor
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Microcystine-LA 1.0
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Microcystine-RR 0.1
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Microcystine-YR 1.0
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Microcystine-YM 1.0
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(3) For the purpose of calculating the concentration of total trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids, the person in charge must identify the maximum concentration obtained during the quarter and calculate the average of the maximum values obtained for 4 consecutive quarters.
(4) That limit value may be exceeded in 5% of measurements, but without exceeding 12 consecutive hours; the result may at no time exceed the limit value provided for in Column 3 of the table.
(5) That limit value may be increased to 0.5 NTU in 95% of measurements if the percentage of elimination of pathogenic micro-organisms provided for in section 5 or 5.1 is fully ensured by the disinfection treatment downstream of the filtration; the result must at no time exceed the value of 5.0 NTU.
(6) That average is calculated by means of data collected at each filter.