City of Brantford reaffirms commitment to safe, high-quality drinking water

BRANTFORD, ON – The City of Brantford places the highest priority on the safety and well-being of our community. We are committed to ensuring that all residents have access to safe and reliable drinking water. Brantford’s water supply is rigorously tested multiple times each day to ensure it meets or exceeds all provincial health and safety standards. These testing measures are part of our ongoing responsibility to maintain compliance with strict regulatory requirements and to provide the highest level of confidence in the quality of water delivered to homes and businesses across the city.   

Should there be a need to inform the public of any changes that could adversely affect public health, the City is fully committed to public transparency, and in consultation with the Grand Erie Public Health will provide clear communications to ensure the community is informed and any necessary actions to protect public health are taken promptly.

How winter conditions affect nitrate levels in the Grand River

Nitrate is a naturally occurring odourless and colourless chemical compound made up of nitrogen and oxygen and is naturally present in the soils, water, air and plants. It is an essential ingredient for the growth of plants and animals and is commonly found in diets through vegetables and fruits, cured and processed meats, fish, dairy products, beer, and cereals.

Nitrate is naturally found in surface water and groundwater at low levels. The nitrate level may also increase due to runoff from agricultural fields and livestock operations, and wastewater treatments plant effluents that discharge to the Grand River and its tributaries. However, during the winter months, biological processes in the river slow down considerably, reducing the uptake of nitrogen and increasing the potential for elevated nitrate concentrations. Large runoff events caused by unseasonally warm temperatures in the winter and/or rain, may also have the potential to transport higher quantities of nitrate to receiving streams and rivers. 

As expected during the winter months, the City is observing a gradual increase of the nitrate level in the Grand River. As a proactive measure, the City is working very closely with Grand Erie Public Health, the Grand River Conservation Authority and the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to ensure maintenance of a sustainable clean safe drinking water supply to our community.  

Potential health effects of nitrate 

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has set a Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) for nitrate at 10 milligrams per Litre (mg/L) as nitrogen. No harmful health effects have been seen at levels below the drinking water guideline level of 45 mg/L of nitrate in drinking water (equivalent to 10 mg/L expressed as nitrogen-nitrate). 

Health Canada warns that the main health threat to the public when nitrate is over 10mg/L is methemoglobinemia, also known as blue baby syndrome. Therefore, the vulnerable populations at risk from ingesting high nitrate in drinking water, are expecting mothers, bottle-fed infants less than six months old, and babies one year old and under. Infants six months old or under do not yet have the enzyme needed to break down nitrate. There is no conclusive evidence that temporary consumption of water measuring 10 mg/L is harmful to anyone outside of the identified vulnerable populations of expecting mothers bottle-fed infants less than six months old, and babies one year of age and under. 

City actions to protect public safety 

The City closely monitors nitrate levels in the City’s water supply every winter, and to date, the City’s water supply has not exceeded the maximum acceptable concentration for nitrate of 10 mg/L. To be clear, to date, nitrate levels within the City’s water distribution system have never reached the MAC of 10 mg/L as nitrogen.

In the event that the nitrate level in the Grand River exceeds the MAC of 10 mg/L for an extended period time that would be considered unsafe for public consumption, the City will supply drinking water from the City’s storage reservoirs until nitrate levels in the Grand River water reduce below the 10mg/L threshold. In the very unlikely event that nitrate levels reach 10 mg/mL in the drinking water supply, a public advisory will be issued, and the City will supply bottled water or hauled potable water for the two identified vulnerable populations for cooking and drinking. 

The public will be promptly and thoroughly informed of all measures, both existing and forthcoming, that are crucial to ensuring public safety.

For more information regarding nitrate related to the City’s water supply, the public is encouraged to review a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions summary available on the City website at: Brantford.ca/nitrate.

The public is also encouraged to view a comprehensive staff report and presentation on this important topic, which will be delivered by City staff and the GEPH Medical Officer of Health to Brantford City Council on January 21 at 6 p.m. For more information, please visit the City Council calendar page at: calendar.brantford.ca/meetings.

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