Over the past several decades, the quality of water found at taps across Canada has come increasingly under scrutiny. While municipally treated water is required to meet the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality set by Health Canada and the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW), more and more Canadians are realizing that their water contains unwanted hardness, disinfectants and in some cases harmful contaminants.

What should we remove from municipal water?

• Hardness (magnesium and calcium)
• Disinfectants (chlorine and chloramines)
• Harmful contaminants (PFAS, lead, microplastics, chromium, and others)

Approaching in-home water treatment with these three primary areas in mind can help you give your customers water solutions that will protect the health of their family members and pets; prevent damage to plumbing, fixtures and water-using appliances; and give them optimal water for healthy hair and skin, sparkling dishes, and softer laundry.

Harmful Contaminants and Environmental Diseases

The links between disease and exposure to environmental pollution or chemicals is becoming better understood. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chromium, microplastics and lead are four harmful contaminants that all Canadians should be aware of and remove from their water.

Since the early 2000’s, PFAS, particularly perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), have gained worldwide awareness as toxic chemicals with severe health effects from exposure or ingestion. PFAS are commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are among the most persistent toxic compounds in existence, contaminating everything from drinking water to food, food packaging and personal care products. According to the U.S.-based Environmental Working Group (EWG), they are found in the blood of virtually everyone on Earth, including newborn babies.

In October 2020, the EWG released a study that estimated more than 200 million U.S. households could have a PFAS concentration of 1 part per trillion or higher in their tap water. In April 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the final National Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS including PFOA (4 ppt) and PFOS (4 ppt). As part of the regulatory update, water providers must test for these PFAS and alert the public when levels are too high.

In Canada, the government has prohibited the manufacture, use, sale and import of PFOS, PFOA as well as products that contain these substances. According to Health Canada, many studies have confirmed the presence of PFAS in drinking water sources as well as tap water. PFOS and PFAS are the most detected PFAS in Canadian water samples. In 2023, Health Canada released a recommended limit of 30 ng/L (30 ppt) for PFAS in drinking water – nearly eight times the EPA limit.

In 2023, the Canadian Environmental Law Association published a map of all airports and military bases that are known to or are suspected of being contaminated with PFAS. The map brings awareness to the possibility of PFAS contamination in communities near the identified sites.

While lead is a more commonly known contaminant, Canadians may still be surprised to know it could be in their home’s tap water. A large source of lead in drinking water is a result of the widespread use of lead service lines to move water from municipal treatment plants to homes and businesses. Lead lines were installed throughout Canada until 1975 and the use of lead soldering for these lines continued until 1986. In 2019, a Global News investigation compared lead levels in five Canadian cities to Flint, MI.

Microplastics—extremely small pieces of plastic—have links to severe health diseases including asthma, pulmonary cancer due to inhalation, liver damage, nerve and brain damage and kidney diseases. In October 2022, CNN reported that we likely consume the equivalent of one credit card of plastic a week.

Chromium has been linked to several health effects including kidney and liver damage, abdominal pain, and respiratory cancer. While chromium does occur naturally, more than 70 percent of it comes from industrial and manufacturing processes according to Health Canada.

Solution for PFAS, Lead, Chromium & Microplastics

Reverse Osmosis (RO) is the best solution to remove contaminants from water. Health Canada specifically cites RO technology as an effective way to remove chromium from water in its “Chromium in Drinking Water” publication (2015). Customers who want to remove harmful contaminants from their drinking water can install a point-of-use RO system in their home. Commercial-size systems can be installed to provide whole-home membrane filtration.

When choosing an RO system, look for the NSF 58 certification. Systems certified to this standard have been tested and verified to meet their claims for contaminant reduction, structural integrity, TDS reduction performance, safety of materials in contact with drinking water and efficiency rating. Within the NSF/ANSI 58 certification process, systems can be tested to verify reduction claims for specific contaminants including lead, PFOS/PFOA, hexavalent and trivalent chromium, and radium.

Certification badge example:

Municipal Water

It’s well known that municipal water treatment plants use chlorine to treat raw (source) water to make it safe for public consumption. While chlorine is an effective disinfectant that kills bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms in water, it can have unintended side effects such as forming trihalomethanes when it encounters organic matter.

More recently, chloramines have become a popular water disinfectant. Both chlorine and chloramines—a mixture of chlorine and ammonia—can cause the formation of potent carcinogens N-nitrosodimethylamine and other N-nitrosamines in water.

Chlorine and chloramines are known to damage plumbing and pipes and can be harmful to humans and pets. These chemicals also degrade water softener resin, turning it into a jelly-like substance that can significantly restrict flow rates. Adding a carbon filter in front of a water softener will protect the resin.

Solution for Chlorine and Chloramine Removal

Granular Activated Carbon (GAC): The best all-around adsorbent available for removing organic chemicals and contaminants is granular activated carbon. GAC is made from high carbon-based materials such as coconut shells or coal and is well-known for its ability to remove chlorine, tannins, phenols, pesticides, trihalomethanes (THMs) and toxic organic compounds from water.

Activated Carbon Application Considerations:

• High affinity for chlorine
• Proven reliability
• Use a system with a minimum of 1 ft³ of GAC
• Reduces 1 ppm of free chlorine from 1 million gallons of water

Catalytic Carbon

Catalytic carbon is created by using a high-temperature gas process to alter the electronic and surface structures of activated carbon. This higher level of catalytic activity gives it the ability to reduce chloramines and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in water. Regular GAC cannot remove chloramines.

Types of In-Home Carbon Filters

• Inline filters
• Dual inline filters
• Whole-home filters (backwashing and non-backwashing)

Whole-home filters offer the most contact time and chlorine or chloramine reduction.

Hardness Removal

The Canadian Water Quality Association (CWQA) considers water with 1-3.5 grains/gallon (gpg) to be slightly hard; 3.5-7 gpg moderately hard; and 7 gpg or higher hard.

Hardness Map of Canada

When recommending a water softener, make sure it has been certified to perform according to its claims. NSF/ANSI 61 covers only material safety requirements, while NSF/ANSI 44 also requires softening performance, structural integrity, capacity and brine accuracy. Look for recognised testing bodies such as NSF, IAPMO and WQA, and size the softener correctly based on water composition, house size and family use.

Total Home Protection for Municipal Water Applications

As the most trusted water expert for your customers, take a whole-home approach to water treatment. While municipal applications have traditionally focused on softening hard water, adding carbon filtration and reverse osmosis systems delivers extra protection and peace of mind.