Private Drinking Water in Ontario: Research and Testing by Public Health Ontario in support of Private Well Owners

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1 Private Drinking Water in Ontario: Research and Testing by Public Health Ontario in support of Private Well Owners Dr. Anna Majury Well and Septic Workshop April 17 th 2018 PHO Customer Service: Toll Free:

2 Outline Basics of water sample collection and testing our PHO Website Water-borne disease in Canada Some of the science in support of well water consumers: Vulnerable Regions Sources of contamination The WELLness Project Exploring, Developing and Evaluating Drinking Water Vulnerability Assessment Measures: Implications for rural Ontario communities using private groundwater drinking sources 2

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4 Water Testing 4

5 Private Drinking Water 5

6 Understand your test results 6

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8 Accredited by Canadian Association of Laboratory Analysts Licenced by MOECC How do we test your water?

9 Incubation and Culture Total Coliform > 5 CFU/mL Significant evidence of bacterial contamination Plates are incubated E. coli > 0 CFU/mL Unsafe to drink Evidence of fecal contamination Colony Forming Units/100 milliliters CFU/100 ml

10 Private Citizen drinking water samples received and tested at PHOL

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12 Why should people test their water? E. coli = Feces 12

13 Well Water E. coli contamination rates 13

14 Geospatial statistical analysis of hotspots in eastern region 14

15 Four significant high risk clusters in southern Ontario Grey-Bruce Kingston-Belleville Niagara 15

16 What are the implications of contaminated water? Over 80% of Canada s rural population reliant on groundwater, including an estimated 3+ million Ontarians Approximately 500,000 groundwater wells in Ontario dedicated strictly to domestic use Contamination of drinking water sources poses a serious potential threat to human, animal, and environmental health If there is E. coli, this equals fecal contamination which equals the potential for other contaminants shed through feces, such as medications, anti-microbial resistant organisms, pathogens, etc. Campylobacter, E. coli O157, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and norovirus type of pathogen will depend on the animal source (human, bovine, porcine, avian, multiple, etc.) 16

17 Where is the E. coli coming from? % of samples that tested positive K/B 2012 K/B 2014 G/B N/H High Cattle None Total only All Human All Bovine Human + Bovine Statistically significant difference between regions was found (p<0.05) in terms of amount of human sourced contamination. 17

18 In Ontario, multiple but smaller outbreaks linked to private well water consumption likely occur frequently, but mostly affect single households undocumented Little to no surveillance for enteric infections or outbreaks related to well water, leaving significant population vulnerable Owners responsible for monitoring Few households report testing regularly For those who submit to PHO, less that 0.03% submit routinely year after year 18

19 The WELLness Project A community based project in support of private well water owners Engaging communities for communities Ecohealth framework: Citizen Science + Basic Science + Community Based Research Traditional Science Put the power for well water stewardship in the hands of the people. 19

20 Community Science Collaboration Online Survey Interviews Focus Groups Photovoice AIM TO CAPTURE YOUR: Knowledge Concerns Expertise Questions Ideas SOLUTIONS 20

21 GOAL: A Collaborative Phone Based Tool/App We want to learn from you. Community based knowledge plus basic scientific studies Build models and applications that put science and solutions in the hands of the well water owner Improve Well Water Monitoring and Management WATER QUALITY & STEWARDSHIP 21

22 Well water stewardship is in your hands. V Community Volunteers Power in the hands of the people! 22

23 Thank you and questions??? 23