Groundwater Quality Data

About 5% of all drilled water wells are sampled to obtain a representative picture of groundwater quality in the Province. Water wells are sampled during routine inspections of new wells. Sampled well locations are selected to represent all areas of the province. Water sampling done for investigations purposes are not included in this table.

Groundwater quality data is available to download through the Water Resources Portal.

Summary of Groundwater Quality Data by Region Collected to Date (10/30/20)

Eastern Newfoundland
PARAMETER SAMPLES MINIMUM MAXIMUM AVERAGE MEDIAN GCDWQ* UNITS 
Alkalinity 1,205 0 220 84.70 88 mg/L as CaCO3
Color 1,206 0 119 3.34 1 15 (A) TCU
Conductivity 1,205 43 1580 284.71 270 µS/cm
Hardness 1,205 0 282 75.47 75 mg/L as CaCO3
PH 1,205 5.47 9.71 7.66 7.78 8.50 (A) N/A
TDS 1,206 0 1030 181.21 171 500 (A) mg/L
Turbidity 1,206 0 205 0.74 0.20 1 (C) NTU
Boron 1,209 0 0.20 0.02 0.02  5 (C) mg/L
Bromide 1,206 0 1.03 0.02 0.00 mg/L
Calcium 1,209 0 103 23.61 23 mg/L
Chloride 1,206 3 405 31.51 22 250 (A) mg/L
Fluoride 1,205 0 1.25 0.15 0.12 1.50 (C) mg/L
Potassium 1,209 0 4 0.68 1 mg/L
Sodium 1,209 2 195 28.21 20 200 (A) mg/L
Sulphate 1,206 0 116 11.87 10 500 (A) mg/L
Ammonia 1,206 0 0.58 0.02 0.00 mg/L
DOC 1,206 0 11.30 1.18 0.70 mg/L
Nitrate_ite 1,206 0 3.37 0.29 0.06  10 (C) mg/L
Kjeldahlnitrogen 1,206 0 3.390 0.075 0.025 mg/L
Totalphosphorus 1,206 0 1.31 0.026 0.01 mg/L
Aluminium 1,209 0 0.86 0.03 0.00 mg/L
Antimony 1,123 0 0.0040 0.0002 0 0.0060 (C) mg/L
Arsenic 1,225 0 0.0440 0.0030 0.0010  0.01 (C) mg/L
Barium 1,210 0 1.66 0.05 0.02  2.0 (C) mg/L
Cadmium 1,210 0 0.006 0.0000 0  0.0070 (C) mg/L
Chromium 1,209 0 0.100 0.0010 0.0000 0.05 (C) mg/L
Copper 1,209 0 0.122 0.004 0.001 2.0 (C) mg/L
Iron 1,209 0 6.35 0.08 0.000 0.30 (A) mg/L
Lead 1,229 0 0.128 0.001 0  0.0050 (C) mg/L
Magnesium 1,209 0 19 4.06 3 mg/L
Manganese 1,209 0 35.40 0.099 0.005 0.12 (C) mg/L
Mercury 1,209 0 0.00210 0.00002 0 0.0010 (C) mg/L
Nickel 1,209 0 0.006 0.0008 0 mg/L
Selenium 1,210 0 0.023 0.0004 0  0.05 (C) mg/L
Uranium 1,122 0 0.020 0.0009 0  0.02 (C) mg/L
Zinc 1,209 0 5.530 0.0090 0  5 (A) mg/L
(A) – Aesthetic
(C) – Contaminant
* Health Canada, Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (2020)

 

Central Newfoundland
PARAMETER SAMPLES MINIMUM MAXIMUM AVERAGE MEDIAN GCDWQ* UNITS
Alkalinity 175 7 496 48.28 19 mg/L as CaCO3
Color 175 0 340 14.53 0 15 (A) TCU
Conductivity 175 36 1310 191.79 128 µS/cm
Hardness 176 0 223 48.53 24 mg/L as CaCO3
PH 175 5.89 8.47 7.03 6.66 8.50 (A) N/A
TDS 175 23 852 122.41 83 500 (A) mg/L
Turbidity 175 0 22 0.72 0.20 1 (C) NTU
Boron 176 0 0.28 0.01 0.01  5 (C) mg/L
Bromide 175 0 0.72 0.02 0.00 mg/L
Calcium 176 0 73 15.46 8 mg/L
Chloride 175 3 336 26.28 17 250 (A) mg/L
Fluoride 175 0 0.36 0.05 0.00 1.50 (C) mg/L
Potassium 176 0 3 0.68 1 mg/L
Sodium 176 0 230 17.97 11 200 (A) mg/L
Sulphate 175 3 78 9.03 6 500 (A) mg/L
Ammonia 176 0 0.32 0.02 0.00 mg/L
DOC 176 0 35.40 2.00 0.50 mg/L
Nitrate_ite 175 0 1.92 0.26 0.17  10 (C) mg/L
Kjeldahlnitrogen 176 0 0.760 0.083 0.000 mg/L
Totalphosphorus 176 0 0.12 0.020 0.01 mg/L
Aluminium 176 0 1.25 0.09 0.00 mg/L
Antimony 168 0 0.0005 0.0001 0 0.0060 (C) mg/L
Arsenic 177 0 0.0060 0.0010 0.0000  0.01 (C) mg/L
Barium 176 0 0.03 0.01 0.00  2.0 (C) mg/L
Cadmium 177 0 0.000 0.0000 0  0.0070 (C) mg/L
Chromium 176 0 0.003 0.0000 0.0000 0.05 (C) mg/L
Copper 176 0 5.430 0.042 0.001 2.0 (C) mg/L
Iron 176 0 2.40 0.16 0.000 0.30 (A) mg/L
Lead 177 0 0.029 0.001 0  0.0050 (C) mg/L
Magnesium 176 0 11 2.44 1 mg/L
Manganese 176 0 0.59 0.034 0.010 0.12 (C) mg/L
Mercury 176 0 0.00005 0.00001 0 0.0010 (C) mg/L
Nickel 176 0 0.008 0.0007 0 mg/L
Selenium 176 0 0.004 0.0002 0  0.05 (C) mg/L
Uranium 168 0 0.016 0.0009 0  0.02 (C) mg/L
Zinc 176 0 0.330 0.0064 0  5 (A) mg/L
(A) – Aesthetic
(C) – Contaminant
* Health Canada, Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (2020)

 

Western Newfoundland
PARAMETER SAMPLES MINIMUM MAXIMUM AVERAGE MEDIAN GCDWQ* UNITS 
Alkalinity 852 0 310 154.11 155 mg/L as CaCO3
Color 853 0 160 4.71 1 15 (A) TCU
Conductivity 852 41 1880 461.39 393.5 µS/cm
Hardness 853 4.4 750 162.24 154 mg/L as CaCO3
PH 852 5.77 9.29 7.94 7.98 8.50 (A) N/A
TDS 853 0 1300 293.35 250 500 (A) mg/L
Turbidity 853 0 150 1.12 0.3 1 (C) NTU
Boron 853 0 0.61 0.05 0.025  5 (C) mg/L
Bromide 853 0 1.69 0.06 0 mg/L
Calcium 853 0.69 269 47.58 45 mg/L
Chloride 853 4 456 38.66 22 250 (A) mg/L
Fluoride 853 0 1 0.12 0.11 1.50 (C) mg/L
Potassium 853 0 19 2.32 1 mg/L
Sodium 853 5.5 424 31.93 19 200 (A) mg/L
Sulphate 853 0 800 27.2 10 500 (A) mg/L
Ammonia 853 0 1.05 0.028 0.01 mg/L
DOC 851 0 19.8 1.42 0.8 mg/L
Nitrate_ite 853 0 7.85 0.3 0.1  10 (C) mg/L
Kjeldahlnitrogen 853 0 1.4 0.079 0.025 mg/L
Totalphosphorus 853 0 0.32 0.018 0.01 mg/L
Aluminium 853 0 7.5 0.05 0 mg/L
Antimony 805 0 0.0005 0.0001 0 0.0060 (C) mg/L
Arsenic 857 0 0.017 0.001 0  0.01 (C) mg/L
Barium 853 0 0.52 0.08 0.06  2.0 (C) mg/L
Cadmium 853 0 0.0008 0 0  0.0070 (C) mg/L
Chromium 853 0 0.011 0.001 0.0005 0.05 (C) mg/L
Copper 853 0 0.14 0.004 0.001 2.0 (C) mg/L
Iron 853 0 6.4 0.1 0.005 0.30 (A) mg/L
Lead 858 0 0.074 0.002 0  0.0050 (C) mg/L
Magnesium 853 0 33 10.53 10 mg/L
Manganese 853 0 1.6 0.041 0.005 0.12 (C) mg/L
Mercury 852 0 0.001 0.00002 0 0.0010 (C) mg/L
Nickel 853 0 0.02 0.001 0 mg/L
Selenium 853 0 0.005 0.0002 0  0.05 (C) mg/L
Uranium 804 0 0.006 0.0006 0.00031  0.02 (C) mg/L
Zinc 853 0 0.17 0.0084 0  5 (A) mg/L
(A) – Aesthetic
(C) – Contaminant
* Health Canada, Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (2020)

 

Labrador
PARAMETER SAMPLES MINIMUM MAXIMUM AVERAGE MEDIAN GCDWQ* UNITS 
Alkalinity 163 15 721 71.10 51 mg/L as CaCO3
Color 163 0 187 23.80 8 15 (A) TCU
Conductivity 163 32 4190 347.40 189 µS/cm
Hardness 163 3 311 62.39 50 mg/L as CaCO3
PH 163 6.33 9.97 7.32 7.27 8.50 (A) N/A
TDS 163 21 2720 219.48 120 500 (A) mg/L
Turbidity 163 0 120 5.44 0.80 1 (C) NTU
Boron 163 0 0.25 0.04 0.02  5 (C) mg/L
Bromide 163 0 3.35 0.21 0.00 mg/L
Calcium 163 1 32 12.91 11 mg/L
Chloride 163 0 1030 57.30 13 250 (A) mg/L
Fluoride 163 0 1.20 0.26 0.13 1.50 (C) mg/L
Potassium 163 0.5 9 3.35 3 mg/L
Sodium 163 0 969 43.68 14 200 (A) mg/L
Sulphate 163 0 74 12.64 7 500 (A) mg/L
Ammonia 163 0 0.30 0.07 0.05 mg/L
DOC 163 0 7.30 1.67 1.30 mg/L
Nitrate_ite 163 0 2.82 0.08 0.00  10 (C) mg/L
Kjeldahlnitrogen 163 0 0.540 0.104 0.070 mg/L
Totalphosphorus 163 0 0.50 0.055 0.02 mg/L
Aluminium 163 0 0.82 0.05 0.00 mg/L
Antimony 152 0 0.0005 0.0001 0 0.0060 (C) mg/L
Arsenic 163 0 0.0030 0.0000 0.0000  0.01 (C) mg/L
Barium 163 0 0.25 0.05 0.03  2.0 (C) mg/L
Cadmium 163 0 0.000 0.0000 0  0.0070 (C) mg/L
Chromium 163 0 0.009 0.0010 0.0000 0.05 (C) mg/L
Copper 163 0 3.850 0.027 0.001 2.0 (C) mg/L
Iron 163 0 30.90 2.37 0.830 0.30 (A) mg/L
Lead 163 0 0.183 0.002 0  0.0050 (C) mg/L
Magnesium 163 0.5 56 7.32 5 mg/L
Manganese 163 0 1.77 0.294 0.170 0.12 (C) mg/L
Mercury 161 0 0.00005 0.00001 0 0.0010 (C) mg/L
Nickel 163 0 0.040 0.0010 0 mg/L
Selenium 163 0 0.007 0.0004 0  0.05 (C) mg/L
Uranium 148 0 0.002 0.0002 0  0.02 (C) mg/L
Zinc 163 0 0.580 0.0121 0  5 (A) mg/L
(A) – Aesthetic
(C) – Contaminant
* Health Canada, Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (2020)