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Gatineau Drinking Water Quality
By OpenStats · Built from official Canadian sources
Regional estimateB
Water quality grade
Good
Graded against Health Canada drinking water guidelines
Lead within guidelinepH in range
Hardness vs provincial average203 mg/L · prov. avg 183 mg/L
Lead vs provincial average0.3 μg/L · prov. avg 0.3 μg/L
Hardness
203 mg/L
Lead
0.3 μg/L
≤ 5 μg/L
pH
7.6
6.5–8.5 range
Hardness
203 mg/L
Very hard
Lead
0.3 μg/L
Max: 5 μg/L
pH
7.6
6.5–8.5
Chlorine
0.8 mg/L
Max: 4 mg/L
From source to sink
Where Gatineau water comes from
Lakes, rivers, wells, and treatment plants behind the kitchen tap, in plain language. Chemistry grades above are a separate lab snapshot; this section is the route the water travels.
Open the full tap storyOn the map
Where Gatineau water lives
Source waters and treatment plants pinned from published utility names. Open a pin below for the full OpenStreetMap view.
- CityGatineau
Municipal service area
- Source waterOttawa River (Rivière des Outaouais)
Source water
- Source waterRivière du Lièvre
Source water
- Treatment plantUsine d'Aylmer
Approximate pin near Gatineau (exact plant coordinates pending)
- Treatment plantUsine de Hull
Approximate pin near Gatineau (exact plant coordinates pending)
- Treatment plantUsine de Gatineau
Approximate pin near Gatineau (exact plant coordinates pending)
- Treatment plantUsine de Buckingham
Approximate pin near Gatineau (exact plant coordinates pending)
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins are approximate for orientation, not legal survey points.
Where it starts
Surface water
Research confidence: high
Named source waters
- Ottawa River (Rivière des Outaouais)
- Rivière du Lièvre
Treatment plants
Usine d'Aylmer
Ottawa River intake; serves Aylmer sector.
Usine de Hull
Ottawa River intake; serves Hull sector.
Usine de Gatineau
Ottawa River intake; largest sector plant; provincial-funded rehab/ozonation project underway.
Usine de Buckingham
Rivière du Lièvre intake; serves Buckingham and Masson-Angers.
How it reaches your street
Four largely independent production plants treat and distribute through sector aqueduct networks (city reports on the order of 1,400 km of watermains). Each plant has its own RPEP source-vulnerability assessment.
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Partner
Lab water test for Gatineau taps
Municipal reports cover the plant. A Tap Score kit tests the water at a Gatineau tap for a broader contaminant panel.
Lab kit partner link. We may earn a commission when tracking is active.
Reading this page
Gatineau's most recent drinking water sample (2026-07-22) reports hardness of 203 mg/L, classified as very hard, and pH 7.6, drawn from a mixed water source and treated at Gatineau Water Treatment Plant. Lead measured 0.3 μg/L and fluoride 0.7 mg/L.
Free chlorine measured 0.8 mg/L in this sample. No E. coli was detected in this sample.
Gatineau's hardness of 203 mg/L is above the Quebec average of 183 mg/L across 34 tracked municipalities, with a provincial average pH of 7.5.
These readings summarize a single compliance snapshot, not a certification of the water reaching your tap. Test your own water periodically, especially on a private well, and consider a softener if hardness is classified hard or very hard.
How to use this page: read the headline metrics first, then where the water comes from (map and tap story), then the parameter table and source footer.
All monitored parameters meet Health Canada guidelines.
Health parameters compliant; minor aesthetic factors such as hardness or pH near guideline edges.
Figure 1 · From source to sink
How drinking water reaches your tap
Compared to provincial average
Quebec · 34 cities in sample
Hardness (city vs Quebec avg)203 mg/L
pH (city vs Quebec avg)7.6
Lead (city vs Quebec avg)0.3 μg/L
Fluoride (city vs Quebec avg)0.7 mg/L
Provincial average: hardness 183 mg/L · pH 7.5 · lead 0.3 μg/L · fluoride 0.6 mg/L
Full parameters
| Parameter | Reading | Health Canada guideline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardness | 203 mg/L | No health limit (aesthetic) | Compliant |
| pH | 7.6 | 6.5–8.5 | Compliant |
| Lead | 0.3 μg/L | ≤ 5 μg/L | Compliant |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/L | ≤ 1.5 mg/L | Compliant |
| Chlorine (free) | 0.8 mg/L | ≤ 4 mg/L | Compliant |
| Turbidity | 0.4 NTU | ≤ 1 NTU (typical target) | Compliant |
Alberta water licences
WaterRegister.ca
On a private well or holding an Alberta water allocation licence? Water Register maps EPA licence records, transfer comparables, and watershed context across the province.
Explore WaterRegister.ca →Water softeners for hard water
Very hard water. Whole-house softeners are the high-ticket fit; salt and test kits support the install.
As an Amazon Associate, OpenStats earns from qualifying purchases.
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- Shop on Amazon.caSoftener saltOngoing supply (high repurchase)
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- Shop on Amazon.caWater hardness test stripsConfirm mg/L before sizing a unit
- Shop on Amazon.caTDS meterQuick dissolved-solids check
Source · ECCC / municipal open data (seed). Last updated 2026-07-22. Refreshed on the site's automated schedule.