Sponsored
Water filtration and storage
Active advisory. Start with a pitcher filter and backup water storage.
Peterborough Drinking Water Quality
By OpenStats · Built from official Canadian sources
Regional estimateActive water advisory: Do not consume issued 2026-07-03. Precautionary — line break repair
B
Water quality grade
Good
Graded against Health Canada drinking water guidelines
Lead within guidelinepH in range
Hardness vs provincial average252 mg/L · prov. avg 182 mg/L
Lead vs provincial average0.4 μg/L · prov. avg 0.4 μg/L
Hardness
252 mg/L
Lead
0.4 μg/L
≤ 5 μg/L
pH
8
6.5–8.5 range
Hardness
252 mg/L
Very hard
Lead
0.4 μg/L
Max: 5 μg/L
pH
8
6.5–8.5
Chlorine
0.9 mg/L
Max: 4 mg/L
From source to sink
Where Peterborough 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 Peterborough water lives
Source waters and treatment plants pinned from published utility names. Open a pin below for the full OpenStreetMap view.
- CityPeterborough
Municipal service area
- Source waterOtonabee River
Source water
- Treatment plantPeterborough Water Treatment Plant
Approximate pin near Peterborough (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
- Otonabee River
Treatment plants
Peterborough Water Treatment Plant
Plant at 1230 Water Street North beside Riverview Park and Zoo. Dual Otonabee intakes, conventional coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation/filtration and chlorine disinfection. Rated capacity about 104 ML/d.
How it reaches your street
High-lift pumping feeds city reservoirs and a distribution network with dry-barrel hydrants suited to freeze risk.
SponsoredAlso consider
Water filter pitcher
Day-to-day and advisory use
SponsoredAlso consider
Brita replacement filters
Recurring purchase
SponsoredAlso consider
Water storage container
Shelf-stable backup supply
SponsoredAlso consider
LifeStraw portable filter
Portable barrier when advised
As an Amazon Associate, OpenStats earns from qualifying purchases.
Partner
Lab water test for Peterborough taps
Municipal reports cover the plant. A Tap Score kit tests the water at a Peterborough tap for a broader contaminant panel.
Lab kit partner link. We may earn a commission when tracking is active.
Reading this page
Peterborough's most recent drinking water sample (2026-07-22) reports hardness of 252 mg/L, classified as very hard, and pH 8, drawn from a surface water source and treated at Peterborough Water Treatment Plant. Lead measured 0.4 μg/L and fluoride 0.5 mg/L.
Free chlorine measured 0.9 mg/L in this sample. No E. coli was detected in this sample.
Peterborough's hardness of 252 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)252 mg/L
pH (city vs Ontario avg)8
Lead (city vs Ontario avg)0.4 μg/L
Fluoride (city vs Ontario avg)0.5 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 | 252 mg/L | No health limit (aesthetic) | Compliant |
| pH | 8 | 6.5–8.5 | Compliant |
| Lead | 0.4 μg/L | ≤ 5 μg/L | Compliant |
| Fluoride | 0.5 mg/L | ≤ 1.5 mg/L | Compliant |
| Chlorine (free) | 0.9 mg/L | ≤ 4 mg/L | Compliant |
| Turbidity | 1.3 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 filtration and storage
Active advisory. Start with a pitcher filter and backup water storage.
As an Amazon Associate, OpenStats earns from qualifying purchases.
· Compare options- Shop on Amazon.caWater filter pitcherDay-to-day and advisory use
- Shop on Amazon.caBrita replacement filtersRecurring purchase
- Shop on Amazon.caWater storage containerShelf-stable backup supply
- Shop on Amazon.caLifeStraw portable filterPortable barrier when advised
- Shop on Amazon.caTDS meterSpot-check after an advisory lifts
Source · ECCC / municipal open data (seed). Last updated 2026-07-22. Refreshed on the site's automated schedule.