Water quality

Learn how to identify and respond to water quality problems, and find how the city maintains a safe drinking water system.

Report persistent water issues to us by phone at  519-886-2310. Subscribe to  service alerts for water quality issues such as low pressure or discolouration.

On this page

  1. Clearing discoloured water
  2. Low water pressure
  3. Boil water advisories
  4. Water quality management

Clearing discoloured water

Occasionally, discoloured water can come out of your tap, this could be from:
  • naturally occurring minerals found in our groundwater
  • corrosion of older watermains
  • disturbance from maintenance work, watermain flushing or breaks 
We recommend not drinking discoloured water. Instead, try clearing the discoloured water by running a cold water tap for several minutes, until it runs clear. If this takes longer than 10 minutes, wait an hour and try again. Report persistent issues to our water team by phoning 519-886-2310.

Low water pressure

If you have low or no water pressure, there are a few things you can do to help find out where the problem is coming from.Water softener problems are the most common cause of pressure issues and can be tested by:
  • comparing cold water pressure from your soft water tap vs your hard water tap
  • placing your water softener on bypass
  • contacting a plumber
Other common internal plumbing issues you can check for:
  • see if the problem affects the entire property or if it only affects certain taps
  • if only certain taps, check for clogs or debris and clean around faucet aerators
  • if only hot water is affected, contact your rental water heater provider or a plumber if it is owned
  • check your main water valve (usually located where the water enters the house) to ensure it is fully open
  • if you haven’t checked your valves recently, or if you’ve gotten recent plumbing work done, you may have closed valves

Visit our service alerts page to find out if there is a known issue with water pressure.If you are still having pressure related issues or suspect a watermain break, contact us by phoning 519-886-2310.

Note: If City Utilities is dispatched for a water pressure-related complaint, charges may be billed to the owner should an investigation identify the cause as internal plumbing issues.

Boil water advisories

There are no active boil water advisories in Waterloo. Visit our service alerts page for water alerts and instructions on what to do if an advisory comes into effect.

Water quality management

We work with the Region of Waterloo to maintain our water system. The region is responsible for water supply and wastewater treatment. The city is responsible for the distribution of drinking water and the collection of wastewater. View the video below to learn how we provide reliable, clean drinking water.

Drinking water quality management system

The city holds a valid drinking water works permit through the province’s municipal drinking water licencing program and is an accredited operating authority. This is demonstrated through our operational and effective drinking water quality management system.To learn about the system, view the operational plan (PDF). 

View our Quality Management System Policy (PDF) that provides our commitment to ensuring adequate resources remain in place, continually improving the effectiveness of the management system, and always ensuring the provision of safe drinking water to our consumers. In accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, the city has prepared a six-year financial plan to demonstrate financial sustainability of the drinking water distribution system. View the financial plan (PDF).
Water quality reports
Lead testing
Prior to the 1950s, lead pipes were used to connect buildings to the watermains. While we work to remove them during road reconstructions we have a proactive program that analyzes lead levels in our drinking water. This program meets provincial requirements for drinking water quality. A summary of last year's result is provided in the water quality reports tab above.We test water samples throughout our water distribution system every six months and in private homes built in 1989 or earlier every six months. To volunteer to have your home's water tested for free, contact our water team at 519-886-2310. Availability is limited so volunteers will be taken on a first come, first served basis.If unsafe levels of lead are detected, we will retest your home to confirm results and provide further information from the Region of Waterloo's Public Health (PDF) on how to reduce your lead exposure from drinking water. Additional information on lead in drinking water can be found by visiting Health Canada.