Water in PEI
Anoxic events are a common occurrence in Island estuaries during the summer months. The symptoms of an anoxic event include:
milky white or green discolouration of the water,
H2S or 'rotten turnip' odour, and
low (near zero)...
Antimony occurs naturally in small amounts in several minerals in the earth’s crust, is used in various manufacturing processes, and is present in plumbing solder. It can enter drinking water as a result of the weathering of rocks and soils, from...
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is widely distributed throughout the Earth’s rocks and soils. Arsenic can be dissolved from arsenic bearing minerals in the soil or rock and be present in groundwater. On a more local basis, arsenic can also...
Bacterial contamination is the most common water quality problem faced by private well owners. Because there are so many different types of bacteria, the laboratory tests for only two types of “indicator” organisms; total coliform bacteria and E. coli....
Barium is a naturally occurring element that is found in small quantities in a variety of minerals. Varying amounts of barium can be dissolved as water passes through rocks and soils and be present in groundwater. Barium may also be present in the air as...
Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae blooms, are not common in PEI but can be a concern as some strains can produce toxins that are harmful to human or animal health. In PEI cyanobacteria can be found in shallow, warm, and slow moving or still water (...
The City of Charlottetown and efficiencyPEI are collaborating to deliver sustainability programs to assist low-income Islanders. The Low Income Financial and Technical (LIFT) Assistance program provides a free comprehensive water audit and support free...
Chloride is a naturally occurring element that is common in most natural waters and is most often found as a component of salt (sodium chloride) or in some cases in combination with potassium or calcium. The presence of chloride in groundwater can result...
You can use this online application to get detailed information about the quality of drinking water in Island communities and watersheds. The application provides a summary of the on-going testing of drinking water done by the Prince Edward Island...
Do you know someone who has worked hard to protect, preserve or enhance the environment? Does an individual or a school group deserve special recognition for their environmental efforts? Has an Island business or organization shown leadership in reducing...
More than 250 watersheds provide drinking water and water for agricultural and commercial needs in Prince Edward Island. In many communities, the residents and business owners manage the resources in their watershed. The local watershed management group...
Stream level data is available for a number of streams across the province. Stream level data can be accessed from June through September, and is also available for download.
What is this data used for?
Those who hold a Water Withdrawal for Irrigation...
Hardness is commonly referred to as the ability of your water to neutralize soap, or the inability of the water to form soap lather. Hard water is caused by high concentrations of calcium and manganese in the water, and can cause scale to form on hot...
What is a high capacity well?
Any well where 4 L/second or more of water is extracted is a high capacity well.
What are high capacity wells used for?
High capacity wells are used for drinking water supplies, aquaculture, food processing, irrigation...
Chemical disinfection or chlorination of a water supply is suggested when a well has been found to be contaminated by bacteria. New wells and repaired wells, and any associated plumbing, should be disinfected before being put into service. The routine...
In Prince Edward Island we use the “Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality” to assess the safety of drinking water and its suitability for domestic use. The most important values are the health-based guidelines expressed as “maximum acceptable...
Bacterial contamination is the most common water quality problem faced by private well owners. This information sheet will lead you through the step-by-step procedure to deal with cases of bacterial contamination of private wells.
Step 1: Results of...
Iron is a naturally occurring element that is common in PEI rocks and soils. Iron can occur in well water for two reasons; it may be present in fine sediment particles, or it may be present in dissolved form in the water. A reddish-brown colour to the...
Lead is a naturally occurring element that is present in some minerals in rocks and soils, but the main source of lead in drinking water is generally through contact with plumbing components containing lead. The amount of lead dissolved into drinking...
Manganese is a naturally occurring element that is common in PEI rocks and soils. Under oxygen-rich conditions, manganese is relatively insoluble and its concentration in groundwater is generally quite low. In cases where oxygen levels in groundwater are...
Over 100 wells are monitored annually, including those that provide drinking water to private homes, schools, municipalities, and seniors’ housing facilities. Sampling of the wells is conducted each January/February by departmental staff. The collected...
Nitrate is a naturally occurring form of nitrogen that is commonly found throughout the environment. It is present at low levels in most groundwaters, but can be present significantly higher levels in areas with extensive use of fertilizers, storage and...
Nitrate is a form of nitrogen. It can readily dissolve in water and can travel easily through soil to the water table. As a result, nitrate is common in our groundwater, ponds, streams, and estuaries.
Human activity is responsible for over 90% of...
What is the climate of Prince Edward Island?
Prince Edward Island has a mild maritime climate, strongly influenced by the warm waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Each year, the Island gets about 890 mm of rain and 290 cm of snow. The average...
PEI Analytical Laboratories (PEIAL) provides chemical and microbiological analysis for water, soil, dairy, animal feed, seed, plant tissue, manure, and compost samples, and disease identification service for crops.
The lab is accredited by the Standards...
Surface water from nine rivers is sampled under the Pesticide Monitoring Program. At least three of the nine rivers are sampled each year for a selected number of pesticides.
Stream water samples and sediment samples are collected once in July, twice...
Wetlands are shallow, wet areas that support aquatic plants such as sedges, bulrushes and cattails, as well as shrubs and trees. These areas provide habitat for waterfowl, fish, amphibians and hundreds of invertebrate species.
Why are wetlands important...
The Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment System Regulations will be established under the Water Act to regulate public water supplies and municipal wastewater treatment systems. As required by the Water Act, they have been presented to the Standing...
The Water Withdrawal Regulations will be established under the Water Act to regulate the withdrawal of water from groundwater and watercourses.
The proposed regulations and plain language documents are available below:
Proposed Water Withdrawal...
The Well Construction Regulations will be established under the Water Act to regulate the construction standards of wells and the licensing of well drillers. As required by the Water Act, they have been presented to the Standing Committee for...
Each year people see things in streams, ponds and estuaries that cause concern, but this does not mean that the water is polluted. Often, there is a natural cause for these conditions.
If you are concerned about water quality because of something you...
Your active participation is welcome as we work together to protect our environment, and ensure the health and safety of our residents and visitors. Reporting unusual activity or a significant change in the environment will assist us in achieving...
Selenium is a naturally occurring element that is widely distributed throughout the Earth’s rocks and soils and is found in trace quantities in most plant and animal tissues. Selenium can be dissolved by weathering of minerals in the soil or rock or...
Sodium is a naturally occurring element that is widely distributed throughout the Earth’s rocks and soils, most often found in combination with chloride in the form of salt (sodium chloride). The presence of sodium in groundwater can result from a number...
Do I need to have my drinking water tested?
It is generally recommended that homeowners using drinking water from their own well should get their water tested for bacteria at least once a year and should have a chemical analysis of their well water done...
Uranium is a naturally occurring element that is widely distributed throughout the Earth’s rocks and soils. Uranium can be dissolved from minerals in the soil or rock and be present in groundwater. The concentration of uranium in water is typically very...
Groundwater level search results include data from 14 groundwater level observation wells across PEI; mapped locations of observation wells; graphs; and downloadable raw data. The groundwater level data provides long-term trend information, both...
Water found in rivers, streams, ponds, and estuaries is known as surface water. You can search the Surface Water Quality Database to find information about the quality of surface water in PEI including sampling locations, down-loadable raw data, and...
What is the status of the Water Act and regulations?
The Water Act was passed in the legislature in the fall of 2017. Since then, regulations that will put the Act into practice have been developed. The third set of regulations, the Proposed Water...
As part of the development of regulations for the Water Act,Islanders are invited to provide comments regarding the draft regulations. All on-line comments that are received on the draft regulations before the closing date will be posted on this page....
Water Analysis Fee Schedule
TYPE of ANALYSIS
TEST
FEES
(Rates do not include HST)
Drinking Water Analysis
Bacteria
Total coliform/E. Coli (Membrane filter Method)
$40.
Hetertrophic Plate Count (...
What types of drinking water and wastewater facilities need to be classified?
All central drinking water and wastewater systems that service more than five connections must:
be registered with the Department by submitting an Application for Water and...
The Water Extraction Permitting Policy is the prime instrument utilized by the Department to make decisions around the use of both surface water and groundwater. The policy provides for sustainable protection of the province’s water resources and...
The Department has developed a scoring system to report on water quality in watersheds, so that Islanders can see the general health of water and compare it to that of other PEI watersheds.
What is being reported on?
Each watershed is scored on:
The...
A new funding formula will improve how Island watershed organizations receive provincial funding.
Funding will now be distributed more fairly and predictably to the watershed groups – which work to protect and improve some of the Island’s most...
The Watershed Management Fund provides financial support to community-based watershed groups on Prince Edward Island.
Who receives support from the Watershed Management Fund?
The fund supports the work of the PEI Watershed Alliance and approximately...
Watersheds on PEI
A watershed is an area of land that drains surface water and groundwater into a river or stream.
Prince Edward Island has more than 250 watersheds. They provide drinking water for the province, as well as water for agricultural and...