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Port Alberni 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 average253 mg/L · prov. avg 139 mg/L
Lead vs provincial average0.5 μg/L · prov. avg 0.3 μg/L
Hardness
253 mg/L
Lead
0.5 μg/L
≤ 5 μg/L
pH
8.1
6.5–8.5 range
Hardness
253 mg/L
Very hard
Lead
0.5 μg/L
Max: 5 μg/L
pH
8.1
6.5–8.5
Chlorine
1 mg/L
Max: 4 mg/L
From source to sink
Where Port Alberni 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 Port Alberni water lives
Source waters and treatment plants pinned from published utility names. Open a pin below for the full OpenStreetMap view.
- CityPort Alberni
Municipal service area
- Treatment plantBainbridge Water Treatment Plant
Approximate pin near Port Alberni (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
- China Creek (primary gravity supply)
- Bainbridge Lake (pumped alternate)
- Somass River (licensed emergency / secondary)
Treatment plants
Bainbridge Water Treatment Plant
Completed 2016 for Island Health surface-water objectives: three UV reactors plus on-site sodium hypochlorite generation. City inventory also lists gas chlorination at Bainbridge, Somass, and Johnston pumpstations. Filtration deferral historically pursued; UV+chlorine is the published multi-barrier upgrade.
How it reaches your street
City inventory: China Creek gravity intake (~24,451 m³/day permit), Bainbridge Lake pumped intake (~9,763 m³/day), Somass pumped emergency licence (~13,564 m³/day), plus Lizard Lake and Bainbridge storage dams; ~12 pressure zones and multiple reservoirs.
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Partner
Lab water test for Port Alberni taps
Municipal reports cover the plant. A Tap Score kit tests the water at a Port Alberni tap for a broader contaminant panel.
Lab kit partner link. We may earn a commission when tracking is active.
Reading this page
Port Alberni's most recent drinking water sample (2026-07-22) reports hardness of 253 mg/L, classified as very hard, and pH 8.1, drawn from a groundwater water source and treated at Port Alberni 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.
Port Alberni's hardness of 253 mg/L is above the British Columbia average of 139 mg/L across 31 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
British Columbia · 31 cities in sample
Hardness (city vs British Columbia avg)253 mg/L
pH (city vs British Columbia avg)8.1
Lead (city vs British Columbia avg)0.5 μg/L
Fluoride (city vs British Columbia avg)0.6 mg/L
Provincial average: hardness 139 mg/L · pH 7.5 · lead 0.3 μg/L · fluoride 0.6 mg/L
Full parameters
| Parameter | Reading | Health Canada guideline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardness | 253 mg/L | No health limit (aesthetic) | Compliant |
| pH | 8.1 | 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 | 1.4 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.
· Compare options- Shop on Amazon.caWhole-house water softenerBest for hardness ≥ 180 mg/L
- Shop on Amazon.caSoftener saltOngoing supply (high repurchase)
- Shop on Amazon.caWater descalerScale reduction without salt
- 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.