Our Drinking Water Commitment
The City of St. Catharines is committed to:
- Ensuring a consistent supply of safe, high-quality drinking water for the community
- Maintaining and continuously improving our Drinking Water Quality Management System
- Meeting or surpassing applicable legislation and regulations
Drinking water source and networks
Our water distribution system consists of more than 600 km of watermains that serve the local street network. This watermain network is one of several networks that are supplied by the Decew Falls Water Treatment Plant, operated by Niagara Region.
The source of water for this plant is surface water from Lake Erie, via an intake from the Welland Canal, located approximately six km from the treatment plant, near Allanburg. The water from the lake is directed to Decew Water Treatment Plant's supply channel, flowing by gravity. You can view Niagara Region Water Quality Reports and the current status of water quality from the Decew Falls Water Treatment Plant online.
Water sampling
Each year, we collect and analyze thousands of samples. Our drinking water continuously meets the strict Drinking Water Quality Standards, set out by the Province of Ontario. This ensures that drinking water in St. Catharines is of excellent quality.
View some of the frequently asked questions about the City's drinking water for more information.
Seasonal taste and odour issues
View some of the frequently asked questions about seasonal taste and odour issues in drinking water for more information on musty tastes and odours, safety, where compounds can come from, how to reduce seasonal tastes and more.
Drinking Water Quality Management System
As part of the Ministry of Environment's Municipal Drinking Water Licensing Program, we have implemented a Drinking Water Quality Management System, which aims to meet standards developed specifically for municipal drinking water systems in Ontario. The system establishes policies, procedures and objectives that allow us to direct and control our water distribution system with regards to quality.
Our quality management system:
- Identifies and prioritizes water quality risks
- Improves communication and teamwork
- Provides procedures to enhance consistency and reduce errors
Lead and drinking water
View some of the frequently asked questions about lead and drinking water for more information on exposure limits, risks of lead, lead service connections, lead service line replacement options, daily flushing and more.
As part of our Community Lead Testing Program, we offer free testing for lead in the drinking water of private residences and businesses.
The process is non-intrusive and involves City staff collecting water samples from within a home or business, then sent to an accredited lab for testing.
Anyone with a municipal water connection is invited to participate. Contact us at citizensfirst@stcatharines.ca if you would like to take part.
Stagnant drinking water in closed buildings
In buildings where plumbing has remained out of use for more than a week, such as in businesses temporarily closed, drinking water left sitting in pipes can become stagnant. Stagnant water can contain harmful bacteria and unwanted chemicals.
Please flush your system before use by running all taps and faucets until the water runs cold and clear if this is the case.
Learn more about the issues, responsibilities, solutions and best practices around stagnant drinking water in closed buildings.
Drinking Water Monitoring Program reports
View the results of previous annual summaries and reports for the City's Drinking Water Monitoring Program and distribution system: