ERIN – The town scored nearly perfect in provincial drinking water inspections last year.
In 2023, Erin’s drinking water received a rating of 99.2 per cent and Hillsburgh’s, 100%, according to recent reports.
Some marks were docked in Erin because a form wasn’t filled out before watermain work began for a new connection at the corner of Erinville and Erin Park drives.
Flow meters were also found not to have been calibrated in both villages.
Reports covering 2023 from the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), the provincial agency that provides water services for Erin, also note:
- two watermain breaks in Erin, in March and November, that resulted in boil water advisories; and
- E. Coli and coliform bacteria found in a water sample in July that led to a two-day boil water advisory.
In the past six years, the town has received 100% ratings on eight provincial drinking water inspections. Two other inspections (for a total of 10) received ratings below 100%, but above 99%.
OCWA municipal relations and sales manager Natalie Baker told council on March 28 the town’s drinking water, consumed by around 3,850 residents, did not exceed any allowances in testing.
However, some tests haven’t been completed since 2021, with samples to be collected and tested this year (laws require testing every 36 months).
For example, in Hillsburgh and Erin, mercury was found to be at a level of 0.1 micrograms per litre of water in 2021 – below the allowable limit of 1 microgram.
Fluoride was tested in 2023 and found to range between 0.68 and 0.8 milligrams per litre of water at two testing locations in Hillsburgh – below the allowable limit of 1.5 milligrams.
In Erin, testing last year found fluoride levels ranging between 0.20 and 0.26 milligrams per litre of water.
Testing for most organic chemicals hasn’t been completed since 2021 in either Erin or Hillsburgh.
Testing for lead in Erin or Hillsburgh between January and October did not exceed a limit of 10 micrograms per litre of water, with results found to be 0.5 micrograms in Hillsburgh, and between 0.76 and 2.6 micrograms in Erin.
