Groundwater Quality Data

Public Drinking Water wells are sampled to obtain a representative picture of groundwater quality in the Province. Source samples for Public Drinking Water wells are taken every 2 to 3 years, below is a summary of this data.

Groundwater quality data is available to download through the Water Resources Portal.

Summary of Groundwater Quality Data by Region Collected to Date (10/30/20)

Eastern Newfoundland
PARAMETER SAMPLES MINIMUM MAXIMUM AVERAGE MEDIAN GCDWQ* UNITS 
Alkalinity 1,205 0 220 84.70 88 mg/L as CaCO3
Color 1,206 0 119 3.34 1 15 (A) TCU
Conductivity 1,205 43 1580 284.71 270 µS/cm
Hardness 1,205 0 282 75.47 75 mg/L as CaCO3
PH 1,205 5.47 9.71 7.66 7.78 8.50 (A) N/A
TDS 1,206 0 1030 181.21 171 500 (A) mg/L
Turbidity 1,206 0 205 0.74 0.20 1 (C) NTU
Boron 1,209 0 0.20 0.02 0.02  5 (C) mg/L
Bromide 1,206 0 1.03 0.02 0.00 mg/L
Calcium 1,209 0 103 23.61 23 mg/L
Chloride 1,206 3 405 31.51 22 250 (A) mg/L
Fluoride 1,205 0 1.25 0.15 0.12 1.50 (C) mg/L
Potassium 1,209 0 4 0.68 1 mg/L
Sodium 1,209 2 195 28.21 20 200 (A) mg/L
Sulphate 1,206 0 116 11.87 10 500 (A) mg/L
Ammonia 1,206 0 0.58 0.02 0.00 mg/L
DOC 1,206 0 11.30 1.18 0.70 mg/L
Nitrate_ite 1,206 0 3.37 0.29 0.06  10 (C) mg/L
Kjeldahlnitrogen 1,206 0 3.390 0.075 0.025 mg/L
Totalphosphorus 1,206 0 1.31 0.026 0.01 mg/L
Aluminium 1,209 0 0.86 0.03 0.00 mg/L
Antimony 1,123 0 0.0040 0.0002 0 0.0060 (C) mg/L
Arsenic 1,225 0 0.0440 0.0030 0.0010  0.01 (C) mg/L
Barium 1,210 0 1.66 0.05 0.02  2.0 (C) mg/L
Cadmium 1,210 0 0.006 0.0000 0  0.0070 (C) mg/L
Chromium 1,209 0 0.100 0.0010 0.0000 0.05 (C) mg/L
Copper 1,209 0 0.122 0.004 0.001 2.0 (C) mg/L
Iron 1,209 0 6.35 0.08 0.000 0.30 (A) mg/L
Lead 1,229 0 0.128 0.001 0  0.0050 (C) mg/L
Magnesium 1,209 0 19 4.06 3 mg/L
Manganese 1,209 0 35.40 0.099 0.005 0.12 (C) mg/L
Mercury 1,209 0 0.00210 0.00002 0 0.0010 (C) mg/L
Nickel 1,209 0 0.006 0.0008 0 mg/L
Selenium 1,210 0 0.023 0.0004 0  0.05 (C) mg/L
Uranium 1,122 0 0.020 0.0009 0  0.02 (C) mg/L
Zinc 1,209 0 5.530 0.0090 0  5 (A) mg/L
(A) – Aesthetic
(C) – Contaminant
* Health Canada, Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (2020)

 

Central Newfoundland
PARAMETER SAMPLES MINIMUM MAXIMUM AVERAGE MEDIAN GCDWQ* UNITS
Alkalinity 175 7 496 48.28 19 mg/L as CaCO3
Color 175 0 340 14.53 0 15 (A) TCU
Conductivity 175 36 1310 191.79 128 µS/cm
Hardness 176 0 223 48.53 24 mg/L as CaCO3
PH 175 5.89 8.47 7.03 6.66 8.50 (A) N/A
TDS 175 23 852 122.41 83 500 (A) mg/L
Turbidity 175 0 22 0.72 0.20 1 (C) NTU
Boron 176 0 0.28 0.01 0.01  5 (C) mg/L
Bromide 175 0 0.72 0.02 0.00 mg/L
Calcium 176 0 73 15.46 8 mg/L
Chloride 175 3 336 26.28 17 250 (A) mg/L
Fluoride 175 0 0.36 0.05 0.00 1.50 (C) mg/L
Potassium 176 0 3 0.68 1 mg/L
Sodium 176 0 230 17.97 11 200 (A) mg/L
Sulphate 175 3 78 9.03 6 500 (A) mg/L
Ammonia 176 0 0.32 0.02 0.00 mg/L
DOC 176 0 35.40 2.00 0.50 mg/L
Nitrate_ite 175 0 1.92 0.26 0.17  10 (C) mg/L
Kjeldahlnitrogen 176 0 0.760 0.083 0.000 mg/L
Totalphosphorus 176 0 0.12 0.020 0.01 mg/L
Aluminium 176 0 1.25 0.09 0.00 mg/L
Antimony 168 0 0.0005 0.0001 0 0.0060 (C) mg/L
Arsenic 177 0 0.0060 0.0010 0.0000  0.01 (C) mg/L
Barium 176 0 0.03 0.01 0.00  2.0 (C) mg/L
Cadmium 177 0 0.000 0.0000 0  0.0070 (C) mg/L
Chromium 176 0 0.003 0.0000 0.0000 0.05 (C) mg/L
Copper 176 0 5.430 0.042 0.001 2.0 (C) mg/L
Iron 176 0 2.40 0.16 0.000 0.30 (A) mg/L
Lead 177 0 0.029 0.001 0  0.0050 (C) mg/L
Magnesium 176 0 11 2.44 1 mg/L
Manganese 176 0 0.59 0.034 0.010 0.12 (C) mg/L
Mercury 176 0 0.00005 0.00001 0 0.0010 (C) mg/L
Nickel 176 0 0.008 0.0007 0 mg/L
Selenium 176 0 0.004 0.0002 0  0.05 (C) mg/L
Uranium 168 0 0.016 0.0009 0  0.02 (C) mg/L
Zinc 176 0 0.330 0.0064 0  5 (A) mg/L
(A) – Aesthetic
(C) – Contaminant
* Health Canada, Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (2020)

 

Western Newfoundland
PARAMETER SAMPLES MINIMUM MAXIMUM AVERAGE MEDIAN GCDWQ* UNITS 
Alkalinity 852 0 310 154.11 155 mg/L as CaCO3
Color 853 0 160 4.71 1 15 (A) TCU
Conductivity 852 41 1880 461.39 393.5 µS/cm
Hardness 853 4.4 750 162.24 154 mg/L as CaCO3
PH 852 5.77 9.29 7.94 7.98 8.50 (A) N/A
TDS 853 0 1300 293.35 250 500 (A) mg/L
Turbidity 853 0 150 1.12 0.3 1 (C) NTU
Boron 853 0 0.61 0.05 0.025  5 (C) mg/L
Bromide 853 0 1.69 0.06 0 mg/L
Calcium 853 0.69 269 47.58 45 mg/L
Chloride 853 4 456 38.66 22 250 (A) mg/L
Fluoride 853 0 1 0.12 0.11 1.50 (C) mg/L
Potassium 853 0 19 2.32 1 mg/L
Sodium 853 5.5 424 31.93 19 200 (A) mg/L
Sulphate 853 0 800 27.2 10 500 (A) mg/L
Ammonia 853 0 1.05 0.028 0.01 mg/L
DOC 851 0 19.8 1.42 0.8 mg/L
Nitrate_ite 853 0 7.85 0.3 0.1  10 (C) mg/L
Kjeldahlnitrogen 853 0 1.4 0.079 0.025 mg/L
Totalphosphorus 853 0 0.32 0.018 0.01 mg/L
Aluminium 853 0 7.5 0.05 0 mg/L
Antimony 805 0 0.0005 0.0001 0 0.0060 (C) mg/L
Arsenic 857 0 0.017 0.001 0  0.01 (C) mg/L
Barium 853 0 0.52 0.08 0.06  2.0 (C) mg/L
Cadmium 853 0 0.0008 0 0  0.0070 (C) mg/L
Chromium 853 0 0.011 0.001 0.0005 0.05 (C) mg/L
Copper 853 0 0.14 0.004 0.001 2.0 (C) mg/L
Iron 853 0 6.4 0.1 0.005 0.30 (A) mg/L
Lead 858 0 0.074 0.002 0  0.0050 (C) mg/L
Magnesium 853 0 33 10.53 10 mg/L
Manganese 853 0 1.6 0.041 0.005 0.12 (C) mg/L
Mercury 852 0 0.001 0.00002 0 0.0010 (C) mg/L
Nickel 853 0 0.02 0.001 0 mg/L
Selenium 853 0 0.005 0.0002 0  0.05 (C) mg/L
Uranium 804 0 0.006 0.0006 0.00031  0.02 (C) mg/L
Zinc 853 0 0.17 0.0084 0  5 (A) mg/L
(A) – Aesthetic
(C) – Contaminant
* Health Canada, Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (2020)

 

Labrador
PARAMETER SAMPLES MINIMUM MAXIMUM AVERAGE MEDIAN GCDWQ* UNITS 
Alkalinity 163 15 721 71.10 51 mg/L as CaCO3
Color 163 0 187 23.80 8 15 (A) TCU
Conductivity 163 32 4190 347.40 189 µS/cm
Hardness 163 3 311 62.39 50 mg/L as CaCO3
PH 163 6.33 9.97 7.32 7.27 8.50 (A) N/A
TDS 163 21 2720 219.48 120 500 (A) mg/L
Turbidity 163 0 120 5.44 0.80 1 (C) NTU
Boron 163 0 0.25 0.04 0.02  5 (C) mg/L
Bromide 163 0 3.35 0.21 0.00 mg/L
Calcium 163 1 32 12.91 11 mg/L
Chloride 163 0 1030 57.30 13 250 (A) mg/L
Fluoride 163 0 1.20 0.26 0.13 1.50 (C) mg/L
Potassium 163 0.5 9 3.35 3 mg/L
Sodium 163 0 969 43.68 14 200 (A) mg/L
Sulphate 163 0 74 12.64 7 500 (A) mg/L
Ammonia 163 0 0.30 0.07 0.05 mg/L
DOC 163 0 7.30 1.67 1.30 mg/L
Nitrate_ite 163 0 2.82 0.08 0.00  10 (C) mg/L
Kjeldahlnitrogen 163 0 0.540 0.104 0.070 mg/L
Totalphosphorus 163 0 0.50 0.055 0.02 mg/L
Aluminium 163 0 0.82 0.05 0.00 mg/L
Antimony 152 0 0.0005 0.0001 0 0.0060 (C) mg/L
Arsenic 163 0 0.0030 0.0000 0.0000  0.01 (C) mg/L
Barium 163 0 0.25 0.05 0.03  2.0 (C) mg/L
Cadmium 163 0 0.000 0.0000 0  0.0070 (C) mg/L
Chromium 163 0 0.009 0.0010 0.0000 0.05 (C) mg/L
Copper 163 0 3.850 0.027 0.001 2.0 (C) mg/L
Iron 163 0 30.90 2.37 0.830 0.30 (A) mg/L
Lead 163 0 0.183 0.002 0  0.0050 (C) mg/L
Magnesium 163 0.5 56 7.32 5 mg/L
Manganese 163 0 1.77 0.294 0.170 0.12 (C) mg/L
Mercury 161 0 0.00005 0.00001 0 0.0010 (C) mg/L
Nickel 163 0 0.040 0.0010 0 mg/L
Selenium 163 0 0.007 0.0004 0  0.05 (C) mg/L
Uranium 148 0 0.002 0.0002 0  0.02 (C) mg/L
Zinc 163 0 0.580 0.0121 0  5 (A) mg/L
(A) – Aesthetic
(C) – Contaminant
* Health Canada, Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (2020)