Portrait of Drinking Water Quality in Small Quebec Municipal Utilities

Abstract

This study of small Quebec municipal drinking water utilities (i.e., those serving 10,000 or fewer people) focuses on a portrait of microbiological water quality (based on total and fecal coliform data) and distribution system management strategies. It also addresses relationships between some important water quality and operational parameters and management strategies, as well as total or fecal coliform occurrences. Along with descriptive analyses, statistical means tests (Student t-tests) were performed to identify significant differences between utilities with high coliform occurrence and utilities with low coliform occurrence according to chlorine dose, distribution system flushings, pipe age, main breakage, and some environmental factors. Even though many interesting trends have been noted, only a few resulted in statistically significant differences. For surface water utilities using chlorination alone, the mean difference of annual system flushings proved statistically significant. In addition, some agricultural land-use indicators within the municipal territory appeared significantly correlated with coliform occurrences.

Development of performance indicators for small Quebec drinking water utilities

“…The concerned variable referred to agricultural pressure linked with potential phosphorus (P 2 O 5 ) surplus in each municipality's territory. This variable was considered because it showed some significance in a previous study of Quebec small utilities (Coulibaly and Rodriguez, 2003a).…”

Usages et approvisionnement en eau dans le sud du Qubec Niveau des connaissances et axes de recherche privilgier dans une perspective de changements climatiques

“…La plupart de ces avis était associée à des dépassements de la norme relative aux coliformes totaux du Règlement sur l'eau potable de 1984 dans les petits réseaux alimentés par des eaux de surface non traitées ou dépourvus de traitements physico-chimiques avant la chloration (i.e., moins de 5 000 habitants desservis). Tel que le soulignaient Coulibaly et Rodriguez (2003), le nouveau Règlement sur la qualité de l'eau potable, adopté en 2001, s'attarde tout particulièrement à ces problématiques. Cette réforme oblige certaines municipalités à mettre en place des unités de filtration, compte tenu de la qualité des eaux brutes.…”