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Markham 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 average229 mg/L · prov. avg 182 mg/L
Lead vs provincial average0.5 μg/L · prov. avg 0.4 μg/L
Hardness
229 mg/L
Lead
0.5 μg/L
≤ 5 μg/L
pH
7.2
6.5–8.5 range
Hardness
229 mg/L
Very hard
Lead
0.5 μg/L
Max: 5 μg/L
pH
7.2
6.5–8.5
Chlorine
1 mg/L
Max: 4 mg/L
From source to sink
Where Markham 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 Markham water lives
Source waters and treatment plants pinned from published utility names. Open a pin below for the full OpenStreetMap view.
- CityMarkham
Municipal service area
- Source waterLake Ontario
Source water
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins are approximate for orientation, not legal survey points.
Where it starts
Surface water
Research confidence: high
Named source waters
- Lake Ontario
Treatment plants
City of Toronto and Region of Peel treatment plants (wholesale) - York Region supply
Markham receives Lake Ontario water pre-treated by Toronto and Peel under long-term supply contracts. York Region owns the York Drinking Water System transmission, storage, and pumping that feeds Markham’s local distribution system.
How it reaches your street
York Region delivers purchased treated water through regional reservoirs and pumping stations; the City of Markham operates local watermains, valves, and hydrants to retail customers. Markham’s urban system is lake-based with no local raw-water plant.
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Partner
Lab water test for Markham taps
Municipal reports cover the plant. A Tap Score kit tests the water at a Markham tap for a broader contaminant panel.
Lab kit partner link. We may earn a commission when tracking is active.
Reading this page
Markham's most recent drinking water sample (2026-07-22) reports hardness of 229 mg/L, classified as very hard, and pH 7.2, drawn from a groundwater water source and treated at Markham Water Treatment Plant. Lead measured 0.5 μg/L and fluoride 0.6 mg/L.
Free chlorine measured 1 mg/L in this sample. No E. coli was detected in this sample.
Markham's hardness of 229 mg/L is above the Ontario average of 182 mg/L across 51 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.
Health parameters meet Health Canada limits; turbidity above the 1 NTU typical target and very hard water.
Health parameters meet Health Canada limits; turbidity exceeds the typical 1 NTU aesthetic target.
Figure 1 · From source to sink
How drinking water reaches your tap
Compared to provincial average
Ontario · 51 cities in sample
Hardness (city vs Ontario avg)229 mg/L
pH (city vs Ontario avg)7.2
Lead (city vs Ontario avg)0.5 μg/L
Fluoride (city vs Ontario avg)0.6 mg/L
Provincial average: hardness 182 mg/L · pH 7.5 · lead 0.4 μg/L · fluoride 0.6 mg/L
Full parameters
| Parameter | Reading | Health Canada guideline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardness | 229 mg/L | No health limit (aesthetic) | Compliant |
| pH | 7.2 | 6.5–8.5 | Compliant |
| Lead | 0.5 μg/L | ≤ 5 μg/L | Compliant |
| Fluoride | 0.6 mg/L | ≤ 1.5 mg/L | Compliant |
| Chlorine (free) | 1 mg/L | ≤ 4 mg/L | Compliant |
| Turbidity | 3 NTU | ≤ 1 NTU (typical target) | Exceeds guideline |
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.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.