Naturally occurring water contaminants such as arsenic, natural radionuclides, radon, and uranium can make water unsafe to drink.
Arsenic
In 2006, the Canadian drinking water guideline for arsenic was lowered to 0.01 milligrams per litre (mg/L) (reduced from 0.025 mg/L) due to new scientific information on the health efects of arsenic in drinking water.
General Information
- FAQs about Arsenic in Drinking Water
- Arsenic - Water Quality Fact Sheet - English
(PDF:2.37MB) | Français (PDF:2.62MB) - Naturally Occurring Arsenic in Groundwater (Map)
Water Treatment
- Adsorptive Media to Remove Arsenic from Drinking Water
- Anion Exchange to Remove Arsenic from Drinking Water
- Distillation to Remove Arsenic from Drinking Water
- Reverse Osmosis to Remove Arsenic from Drinking Water
Uranium
In 2001, the Canadian drinking water guideline for uranium was lowered to 0.02 mg/L due to new scientific information on the health effects of uranium in drinking water.
General Information
- FAQs about Uranium in Drinking Water
- Uranium - Water Quality Fact Sheet - English (PDF:2.37MB) | Français (PDF:2.62MB)
- Naturally Occurring Uranium in Nova Scotia Groundwater (Map)
Water Treatment
- Removing Uranium From Drinking Water using: Distillation, Reverse Osmosis (RO)
Natural Radionuclides
- FAQs about Radionuclides in Well Water (PDF:89k)
- Flow Chart for Radionuclide Testing in Well Water (PDF:551k)
- Sources of Radiation Exposure in Canada (PDF:214k)
- Testing your well water for Lead-210 (PDF:116k)