Grey-Bruce residents on private wells can now get their water test results much faster thanks to a new digital system.
Public Health Ontario has launched the new Online Water Testing Portal, which is an electronic platform. The system allows households using private wells, cisterns, or treated lake water to submit sample details online and receive their test reports within two to four business days. The digital process offers a quicker alternative to filling out paper forms and waiting for results to arrive by mail.
“Grey Bruce Public Health is pleased to support the local uptake of the Online Water Testing Portal,” said Andrew Barton, Senior Public Health Manager at Grey Bruce Public Health. "This electronic option aims to improve turnaround times for people using Public Health Ontario’s complimentary well water testing program and reduce manual submission errors, which can lead to rejected samples."
Grey Bruce Public Health collaborates with Public Health Ontario and local municipalities to deliver the program, offering 14 sample kit pickup and drop-off locations across the region. Samples collected at the Owen Sound and Walkerton locations are transported to a Public Health Ontario laboratory every weekday, while contracted couriers collect samples from the remaining 12 locations on scheduled weekly pickup days.
Testing focuses on detecting bacterial indicators of contamination, specifically E. coli and total coliforms, which can cause severe illness or prove fatal. Health officials recommend testing private drinking water sources at least three times a year, as well as following system maintenance, heavy rainfall, or rapid snowmelt.
While the new portal provides a digital option, residents can still choose to use the traditional paper form and mail process. Further information on sample collection and portal access is available through Grey Bruce Public Health.
