Wells

Many residents rely on well systems for their drinking water. The City itself has five well systems and two purification plants to provide drinking water to residents

Find out how to get your well tested, how to prevent contamination and learn about common well problems and solutions. Learn about the City’s well systems and water purification plants and view their annual testing results.

Where water comes from

The water we drink generally comes from surface water (above ground) or groundwater (underground). Only about 1 per cent of the Earth's water is surface and groundwater.

The water cycle: Rain or melting snow can take several paths. It can runoff into streams, lakes or rivers. It can seep into the ground to be used directly by plants or to recharge groundwater. It can evaporate and return to the atmosphere. The cycle is complete when water in the atmosphere returns to earth as rain or snow. Groundwater from a deep well may have been in the ground for hundreds or thousands of years. In a shallow aquifer, the water may be a few weeks or years old.

The Hydrologic Cycle

How water moves

Groundwater flows from areas of higher elevation and/or pressure to lower elevation and/or pressure. It can flow horizontally or vertically upward or downward but usually in just one direction. This direction of natural flow can be affected or changed by pumping a well. How fast groundwater moves depends on how porous the soil or rock is, and whether the groundwater surface is sloped. The speed of water movement varies greatly.

The water table: The point at which the ground is saturated determines the water table. This level rises and falls depending on rainfall and local water use. Taking water out of the ground faster than it is recharged by the water cycle will lower the local water table.

Buying a Home? New Well

New wells must be designed carefully to protect our water resources. Wells must be drilled by a licensed water well contractor, who submits a water well record to the homeowner and the Ministry of the Environment.

Keep well documents safe, as you will need them when you sell your house. Be sure to ask for copies of these records when you are the buyer.

Contacts