Health Standards

Health Standards	Description and Human Effects	SK Limits
Bacteriological: Total Coliform Bacteria	Coliform bacteria are generally not harmful to human health however the total coliform group includes fecal coliforms and E. coli. As such, the presence of coliform organisms can indicate the possibility of pollution by human or animal waste. If any coliform organisms are detected, the site is re-sampled, and if the presence of coliforms is confirmed, the appropriate corrective actions are taken.	0 organisms/ 100mL
Bacteriological: E. Coli	E. coli is a type of fecal coliform bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals and humans. The presence of E. coli in water is a strong indication of recent sewage or animal waste contamination. Most strains of E. coli do not cause illness in healthy humans and are beneficial to the synthesis of vitamins. Some strains, however, cause cramps and diarrhea in humans. One particular strain named O157:H7 produces a powerful toxin that can cause severe illness. A typical water treatment process with appropriate disinfection system would inactivate E. coli.	0 organisms/ 100mL
Aluminum	Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the crust of the earth. Research has linked aluminum to Alzheimer disease, but most mainstream health professionals believe, based on current knowledge, that exposure to aluminum is not a significant risk factor. No Saskatchewan or national guidelines have been established for the permissible level of aluminum in drinking water. Current operation guideline values of 0.1 to 0.2 mg/L are suggested.	0.1-0.2 mg/L OGV (Operational Guideline Value)
Arsenic	Arsenic occurs naturally in water and soil. It has been classified as carcinogenic to humans. High arsenic has been linked to many health problems including lung, bladder and skin cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) of arsenic in drinking water is currently published as 0.025 mg/L, however the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water has recently adopted a revised standard at 0.01 mg/L (10 µg/L) which is expected to be published in the near future. The US standard has been at this more stringent level for some time and this is the standard that SaskWater adopted for our internal governing standard.	.010mg/L
Barium	Ingestion of barium may result in serious effects to the heart, blood vessels, and nerves. In humans, a single dose of 125 mg/L of soluble barium can elicit an acute toxic response, but at very low levels the toxicological effects of barium are still uncertain.	1 mg/L
Boron	Boron is naturally occurining and ubiquitous in the environment and is found in water mainly in the form of boric acid. Boric acid is absorbed into the blood stream through the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. While important for plant growth and development, a recent study has suggested that boron may also be an essential element for animals. Health Canada has classed boron as probably not carcinogenic to humans however it is acutely lethal at high doses (15-20 g).	5 mg/L
Cadmium	Cadmium is a relatively rare element occurring naturally in the earth's crust in the form of inorganic compounds. The amount of cadmium derived from drinking water is very small with the main source of intake being food. It is not considered to be an essential element in human nutrition and small amounts can cause gastrointestinal cramps and vomiting. In long-term exposure above guidelines, cadmium has the potential to cause effects such as emphysema, softening of the bones and damage to the liver and kidneys. Because it is difficult to reduce cadmium intake from food, the intake from water should be as low as possible.	0.005mg/L
Chlorine	Chlorine, added to drinking water as chlorine gas (Cl) or as calcium or sodium hypochlorite, is used as a disinfectant to provide a broad defense against microorganisms that can cause waterborne illness such as cholera, hepatitis and typhoid. It is also one of the few disinfectants that can provide protection throughout the distribution system.	A free chlorine residual of not less than 0.1 mg/L in the water entering the distribution system; and a total chlorine residual of not less than 0.5 mg/L or a free chlorine residual of not less than 0.1 mg/L in the water throughout the distribution system.
Chromium	Trivalent chromium, the most common natural state of chromium, is not considered to be toxic. However, if it is present in raw water, it may be oxidized to hexavalent chromium during chlorination. The toxic effects of chromium in humans are attributed primarily to this hexavalent form. The main toxic effects observed in animals following ingestion of the element are on the liver, kidney and gastrointestional tract.	0.05 mg/L
Fluoride	Fluoride is naturally occurring in both surface and ground water but, it is added in some treatment processes to prevent tooth decay. Most communities in Saskatchewan have about 0.1 to 0.2 mg/L of naturally occurring fluoride in their water sources. To have any benefit the levels must be adjusted to 0.8 to 1.0 mg/L.	1.5 mg/L
Lead	The most common of the heavy elements, lead is widely distributed throughout the environment. Most water sources do not contain a detectable amount and so is most commonly present in tap water as a result of leaching from older household plumbing fittings and solder. It is recommended that only the cold water supply be used for drinking and cooking in order to minimize exposure of lead introduced into drinking water. The use of lead solder was prohibited in Canada in 1990.	0.010 mg/L
Nitrate	Sources of nitrate in water (particularly groundwater) include decaying plant or animal material, agricultural fertilizers, manure, or domestic waste. As nitrates are very soluble and, therefore, highly mobile in soil they can readily migrate to the water table. The critical effect associated with the ingestion of nitrate is methemoglobinemia in infants, a disease which reduces the oxygen capacity of the blood. There have also been studies linking nitrates and an increased risk for stomach and esophagus cancer.	45mg/L
Selenium	Selenium appears to be an essential element in human nutrition. However, ingestion of large quantities of selenium has been correlated with a variety of clinical disorders in humans, including jaundice, chronic gastrointestinal disease, dermatitis, nail changes and fatigue. Food is the main source of selenium in humans.	0.01mg/L
Trihalomethanes	Trihalomethanes are halogen-substituted methane compounds. Trihalomethanes are formed in drinking water when chlorine used for disinfection reacts with organic material in water supplies. The four THM compounds are: chloroform, dibromochloromethane, bromodichloromethane (BDCM) and bromoform. Trihalomethanes are classified as probably carcinogenic (potential cancer causing agents) to humans based on epidemiological studies.	100 micro g/L
Turbidity	Turbidity is a measure of the suspended, inorganic, and organic particles in water, which can cause the water to be cloudy. Turbidity can be caused by sediment, particles of dirt, clay, silt, and vegetation plankton, and other microscopic organisms suspended in the water. Higher turbidity levels are also often associated with higher levels of disease-causing microorganisms such as viruses, parasites and some bacteria. Sask Environment has created different regulatory standards for turbidity depending on the source of the raw water and the filtration process used during treatment.	From water leaving the filter: Surface water - max 1.0 NTU and <0.3 NTU 95% of the time. Groundwater - < 1.0 NTU 95% of the time. (NTU - Nephelometric Turbidity Unit)
Uranium	Uranium may enter water supplies from naturally occurring deposits or as a result of human activities (like the application of phosphate fertilizers). The main health risk associated with ingesting uranium is kidney toxicity (nephritis), resulting from the chemical exposure to uranium itself.	0.02 mg/L