Water Ordering, Sampling & Reporting Process

Steps are simple – there are only 7.

Step 1

Create a User Account

Step 2

Complete Wizard to select appropriate water quality package OR manually select appropriate water quality package.

Step 3

Complete check-out by purchasing desired water quality package. Look for confirmation email with details on the water quality package ordered and sampling instructions.

Step 4

Water quality package (tesing kit and cooler) will arrive by Purolator to the address specified in your User Account within 3-5 days.

Step 5

Read the sampling instructions that were provided in your confirmation email as well as within cooler packaging.

Step 6

Following the instructions, collect the water sample. Pack water bottles back into the cooler with ice pack provided. Seal cooler with tape provided and stick the return Purolator slip on cooler for shipping. Arrange for Purolator to pick up water quality package for the day the sample was taken.

Step 7

You will receive an email confirming that your sample has been received at the laboratory for analysis within 20 days, and you will receive a follow-up email to notify you that your results and report card are available by logging into your User Account.

How We Grade Your Water Supply Source

The Canadian Water Quality Index (CWQI) is an effective method to rate the water quality and determine its suitability for drinking purposes. CWQI measures a wide variety of parameters of water quality and then cumulatively translate them into one score.

The CWQI method requires a group of parameters that have drinking water objectives that have been set either by the Canadian government or a province to ensure that the water intended for human consumption:

Shall not contain disease-causing organisms or unsafe concentrations of toxic chemicals (Health-Related Standards).
Should be aesthetically acceptable and palatable (Aesthetic Objectives).
Should not contain undesirable concentrations of parameters that, if not controlled, may negatively affect the efficient and effective treatment , disinfection, and distribution of water (Operational Guidelines).

The CWQI calculates three factors based on these objectives: (1) the number of parameters that fail their objectives, (2) the proportion of samples that fail their objectives, and (3) the relative magnitude of any failures. These factors are combined to give an overall rating that is related to common descriptors (Table to left). Thus two important environmental aspects, the frequency and severity of adverse conditions, are included in the calculation of the CWQI.