Stay safe and monitor your drinking water quality

Public Health Ontario provides free microbiological well water testing services to Ontarians

TORONTO, June 26, 2013 /CNW/ - The best way to reduce your risk of drinking contaminated water is to test your well water regularly. Public Health Ontario provides private well owners free microbiological water testing so they can continue to monitor their drinking water quality.

"Water testing is an essential service that PHO provides to protect the health of Ontarians," said Sandy Edelsward, Program Coordinator for Drinking Water Testing. "It's important that owners test their well water regularly, as organisms that can cause illness in humans can get into wells and pose a risk to everyone drinking the water."

Well water comes from ground water sources, so testing is particularly important after the ice and snow have melted, or following heavy rainfall or flooding.  You should submit samples for regular testing or if you notice changes to the water's taste, colour or odour.

It just takes a few moments to collect a water sample and send it to PHO for testing. Testing water quality is easy; simply follow the tips about collecting and submitting water samples at www.publichealthontario.ca/watertesting or call the PHO Laboratory Customer Service Centre at 1 [phone].

Drinking contaminated water can have a range of health impacts, so monitoring your water will help keep you and your family healthy.

Public Health Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to protecting and promoting the health of all Ontarians and reducing inequities in health. Public Health Ontario links public health practitioners, front-line workers and researchers to the best scientific intelligence and knowledge from around the world.

For the latest PHO news, follow us on Twitter: @publichealthON

SOURCE: Public Health Ontario

Nicole Helsberg
647-260-7247
[email protected]