Mississauga Water Quality: Can You Drink From the Tap?

Where Does Mississauga’s Tap Water Come From?

Mississauga’s tap water comes primarily from Lake Ontario — one of the Great Lakes — which is fed by the Niagara River. This surface water is treated at one of two water treatment plants: Arthur P Kennedy WTP and Lorne Park WTP. The Ministry of the Environment is responsible for overseeing the protection of the watershed.

Some Peel residents get their drinking water from private wells or municipal wells that draw from groundwater aquifers. Residents who rely on well water are responsible for their own well maintenance and water testing. Unused wells can be decommissioned through the Private Well Abandonment Program at no cost to the homeowner.

Is the Water Hard or Soft in Mississauga?

Mississauga water quality is known for being moderately hard due to the presence of calcium and magnesium in the water supply. Hard water is safe to drink, and the high mineral content may even have some health benefits compared to soft water.

But hard water can have an unpleasant taste and appearance, and can leave mineral residue on sinks, cookware, and other surfaces. Some residents of Mississauga may choose to get a water softener to reduce its mineral content.

According to the 2023 South Peel Water Quality Report, whether you choose to soften the tap water is a matter of preference. Some people find that hard water irritates their skin, while others find that soft water feels uncomfortably filmy or slimy.

How Is Mississauga’s Drinking Water Treated?

Mississauga water quality is known for being moderately hard due to the presence of calcium and magnesium in the water supply. Hard water is safe to drink, and the high mineral content may even have some health benefits compared to soft water.

But hard water can have an unpleasant taste and appearance, and can leave mineral residue on sinks, cookware, and other surfaces. Some residents of Mississauga may choose to get a water softener to reduce its mineral content.

According to the 2023 South Peel Water Quality Report, whether you choose to soften the tap water is a matter of preference. Some people find that hard water irritates their skin, while others find that soft water feels uncomfortably filmy or slimy.

How Is Mississauga’s Drinking Water Treated?

Mississauga’s drinking water goes through a multi-step treatment process. It starts with a conventional treatment process including the following steps:

• First, fresh water is chlorinated to kill bacteria and prevent mussels from growing inside the filtration system
• Then, the water is filtered through screens to remove fish, plants, and debris
• Next, the water goes through a coagulation process in which chemicals bind clumps of particles together
• This is followed by flocculation, in which the water is stirred to form larger clumps of particles called flocs
• The sedimentation process removes large flocs that settle at the bottom
• A gravity filter made of sand, gravel, and carbon or anthracite filters out any remaining particles
• The water goes through UV light disinfection to kill microorganisms, followed by chemical disinfection with chlorine
• Finally, fluoride is added to the water as a public health measure

Some of Mississauga’s water goes through an ozone, biologically active carbon, and membrane (OBM) water treatment process, which includes:

• Ozone contactors are used to kill bacteria and remove tastes and odors
• Biologically active carbon filters remove organic matter
• An ultra filtration membrane system reduces turbidity

This water is still treated with chlorine and fluoride before being stored in a reservoir and released into the South Peel water distribution system.

What Contaminants Are Found In Mississauga’s Drinking Water?

After going through such a complex treatment process, how does Mississauga’s water quality compare to regulatory guidelines and public health recommendations? Do you need to take any additional precautions before drinking from the tap? 

While Missassauga’s water quality generally meets Canadian drinking water standards, there are at least a few contaminants of concern that may still be present. Here’s what to look out for when reading the annual water quality report.

Disinfection byproducts

Disinfection byproducts include chemicals like chlorine and chloramines that remain in the water supply after the disinfection process. Although the levels of these byproducts meet the Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards, they may exceed the guidelines of other public health organizations that recommend a more cautious approach.

For example, the 2023 South Peel Water Quality Report shows a level of 9.9 parts per billion of haloacetic acids (HAA). This is far lower than Ontario’s maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) of 80 ppb, but is higher than the Environmental Working Group (EWG)’s recommendation of 0.06 ppb for this contaminant.

Similarly, Mississauga’s total trihalomethane (TTHM) levels are 27.6 ppb — lower than the MAC of 100, but higher than the EWG’s recommendation of 0.15 or less.

Agricultural runoff

Due to its proximity to agricultural regions, Mississauga’s drinking water sources are at risk of pollution from agricultural runoff, including chemicals found in fertilizers such as nitrates and nitrites. These two chemicals, often found in fertilizers, can contribute to health problems like cancer and blue baby syndrome in infants.

The Peel region checks water samples for nitrates and nitrites on a quarterly basis, and publishes the test results online and in the annual water quality report. Although current levels are below MAC guidelines, they may exceed the EWG’s limit of 0.14 ppm.

Forever chemicals (PFAS)

Testing for forever chemicals (PFAS) in drinking water is a relatively new practice, and PFAS levels aren’t routinely included in local water quality reports.

As of 2023, Canada has issued a PFAS report which states that “PFAS may be present in both private drinking water wells and public drinking water supplies … Because PFAS are not regularly monitored at water treatment plants in Canada, there is only limited data available for municipally supplied drinking water.”

In the absence of more widely available data, cautious consumers may want to reduce their exposure to PFAS with an activated carbon or reverse osmosis filter.

Does Mississauga Drinking Water Contain Lead?

According to the 2023 annual water quality report, lead isn’t a major concern in the Peel region, with tests showing that “Peel’s water supply is consistently below Ontario’s lead standard.” However, some homes may be at a higher risk of lead exposure, especially those built before 1960 or those that have lead pipes or solder.

Residents can get a free drinking water lead test if they live in a home built before 1960 or have reason to believe their plumbing contains or is connected to lead pipes. As an added precaution, homeowners can install a water filter 4-Stage Reverse Osmosis Under Counter Water Filter.

Is Mississauga’s Water Fluoridated?

Yes, the tap water in Mississauga is fluoridated as a public health measure. In addition to naturally occuring fluoride, the Peel region adds fluoride to its water to prevent tooth decay, at levels that range from 0.5-0.8 milligrams per liter (mg/L).

What Steps Is Mississauga Taking to Protect Its Water Sources?

Everything from agricultural pollution to climate change has the potential to damage the Peel region’s water supply and make it unsafe to drink. The good news is that there are watershed protection plans in place to identify vulnerable water sources and take steps to educate the public about how to project them.

For example, the Risk Management Office is responsible for reviewing building permits and planning approvals to ensure they won’t harm vulnerable watersheds, while other entities provide resources to farmers on how to prevent agricultural runoff.

Individuals can take steps to protect the water supply by properly maintaining private wells and septic systems, and limiting the use of excess road salt in the winter.

What About Recreational Water Facilities?

Drinking water isn’t the only type of water safety that Mississauga residents should be concerned about. Beaches, pools, and other water sources may present health risks during certain times of year due to the presence of bacteria and algae.

The Peel Public Health authority conducts water testing at four public beaches every week during the summer, and will post one of these signs if there are any issues:

• A blue notice means that the water is safe for swimming, but should be avoided for two days following heavy rain.
• A red warning means that swimming may be a health risk due to bacteria.
• A water quality advisory means the water is unsafe due to blue-green algae, and both humans and their pets should avoid it.

How Can Residents Monitor Mississauga Water Quality?

The Peel Region provides water quality reports for each of its drinking water systems that residents can view online. Residents can learn more about their tap water here, including what to do if you don’t like the smell or taste of the water.

You can call the Water Quality department at 905-791-7800, or contact them through their website if you have any questions.

You can also test your tap water yourself if you have any concerns or simply want to know what’s in the water coming out of your faucet.

Is Mississauga’s Tap Water Safe to Drink?

If you live in Mississauga, you can be confident that your local drinking water meets the guidelines of the Ontario Safe Drinking Water Act and other regulations. But there may still be some contaminants, such as agricultural pollutants and disinfection byproducts, that make it through the treatment process. Installing an under counter water filter can remove or reduce these contaminants before they reach your faucet.

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