Your results

Do not consume the water  unless you boil it for at least one minute. You should proceed promptly to assess the well to determine potential sources of contamination and then proceed to sanitization. It is recommended that you repeat the initial potability test  1 to 2 weeks after sanitizing and then proceed to a second test a few months later, to ensure that the problem does not reoccur.

Boil water for at least 1 minute before consumption, or use bottled water for

• Drinking, preparing beverages, bottles and baby food;
• Do the same to wash fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw;
• Boil your water before making ice cubes;
• Boil your water before brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth.

You can use tap water without boiling it

• To clean the dishes;
• To wash your clothes;
• your hands (with soapy water), and for showering and bathing (only if the water contains 20 CFU E.coli /100ml or less).

Fecal contamination – Explanation and origin

The presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) or enterococcus in water indicates that it has been contaminated by fecal contaminants, either animal or human. Contaminated water can contain microbes (bacteria, viruses or parasites) that can cause serious health problems. To be fit for drinking, water must not contain any of these microorganisms.

The presence of this type of contaminant in your water can result from, among other things, the infiltration of bacteria present on the surface of the soil, following the passage of animals, or contamination of a septic system. Bacteria can seep into a cracked well or a surface well. Contamination can be a one-off event if the well is well sealed and complies with current standards.

You should quickly assess the well to determine potential sources of contamination and then proceed to sanitize it It is recommended that you repeat the sanitize it 1 to 2 weeks after sanitizing, and then a second test a few months later, to ensure that the problem does not reoccur.

Your water is non-compliant, because it may contain too many total coliforms or atypical colonies (see descriptions in previous questions). These are microorganisms found in the environment (e.g. soil, plant matter, wood, etc.) which, if present in higher-than-normal numbers, indicate a deterioration in water quality and possible infiltration into the well.

Non-conforming water is not unfit for consumption, since there is no contamination of fecal origin (see non-drinking water). However, it is recommended to boil the water for at least one minute as a preventive measure, until the source of contamination can be found and/or the problem eliminated.

Your water is compliant when all bacterial parameters analyzed are below the standards set out in the Regulation respecting the quality of drinking water.

When your water is compliant, it is free of bacteria presenting a health hazard and therefore considered potable.

To ensure that your water is fit for consumption, we strongly recommend that you have already carried out at least one health analysis (physico-chemical). It can be combined with the potability analysis in package 4-Potability and health or in complete package 6-Overview (complete analysis). This analysis (health-chemistry) does not have to be repeated every year, unlike the potability analysis.

TNI stands for Too Many to Identify. This result indicates that the presence of bacteria in the sample is too high for quantification. Such a result automatically results in “non-potable water”, since it is not possible to confirm the absence of E.coli bacteria (see section My water is non-potable, why and what should I do?).

N/A means Not Applicable, as too many bacteria in the sample make it impossible to specify a quantity for the atypical coliform’s parameter (see What are atypical coliforms).

N/D means Not Determined, since there are too many atypical coliforms (see What are atypical coliforms?) prevent the quantification of total coliforms. We can therefore not give a value for this parameter, at the risk of underestimating it (see section What are total coliforms). An ND result automatically results in non-compliance (see section My water is non-compliant, why and what should I do?).

Total coliforms are a group of bacterial species. Most of them can be found naturally in the environment, in soil and plants. Their presence in water does not indicate fecal contamination or a health risk, but rather a deterioration in the bacterial quality of the water. However, when an analysis shows more than 10 total coliforms per 100ml volume, the water is considered potentially contaminated and therefore non-compliant, according to the Regulation respecting the quality of drinking water. To find out what to do, please see My water is non-compliant, why and what should I do?

Atypical coliforms are a group of several bacterial species which do not have the typical characteristics of bacteria found in drinking water (i.e. total coliforms), but which are present at the time of analysis. They are not considered pathogenic bacteria (dangerous to healthy people) when present in numbers of 200 or less per analysis (100ml).

However, the presence of atypical coliforms can interfere with the analysis of typical bacteria (total coliforms) and underestimate their count. When an analysis shows more than 200 of this type of bacteria per 100ml volume, no result can be given for total coliforms (ND). The sample with this result is therefore non-compliant (see section My water is non-compliant, why and what should I do?).

E. coli is a bacterial species naturally found in the intestines of humans and animals. It is present in large numbers in fecal matter and is used as an indicator of the presence of pathogenic bacteria (posing a health hazard to humans). To be safe, drinking water must contain no E.coli (0 CFU/100ml).

Water contaminated by micro-organisms can cause gastrointestinal problems, manifesting as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting. These are just a few examples.

Even without symptoms, you should avoid drinking contaminated water unless it has been boiled for at least one minute or properly treated. See the section My water is not drinkable, why and what should I do? for more details.

Even if you have no symptoms, you should avoid drinking contaminated water unless it has been boiled for at least one minute or treated properly. See My water is not safe to drink, why and what should I do? for more details.

Enterococcus is a bacterial species naturally found in the intestines of humans and animals. They are found in large numbers in fecal matter and are used as an indicator of the presence of pathogenic bacteria (dangerous to human health). To be safe, drinking water must contain no Enterococcus (0 CFU/100ml). Enterococcus are stronger in the environment than E.coli, which is why it’s a good idea to analyze them at the same time.

Water contaminated with micro-organisms can cause gastrointestinal problems, manifesting as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting. These are just a few examples.

Even without symptoms, you should avoid drinking contaminated water unless it has been boiled for at least 1 minute or properly treated. See the section My water is not drinkable, why and what should I do? for more details.

CFU stands for Colony Forming Unit. In other words, it’s the unit for calculating the quantity of bacteria per volume analyzed (100ml). We can thus summarize that each CFU is one bacterium that will form a visible colony in the laboratory.