GREY-BRUCE – Grey Bruce Public Health (GBPH) has announced the launch of a locally developed service that will ensure all Grey-Bruce residents have equitable, timely access to Public Health Ontario’s free well water testing program. The new service will allow residents on private drinking water systems to pick up sample collection kits and drop off water samples at 14 locations throughout Grey-Bruce.
“This made-in-Grey-Bruce service will put PHO’s complimentary well water testing program within a 30-minute drive of nearly every household in Grey-Bruce,” said Grey-Bruce Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Arra.
The locations will form two routes, serviced one day a week by a local courier contracted by GBPH. In Walkerton, the pickup site will be on Wednesdays at 12:40 p.m. at the Walkerton Community Centre (290 Durham St. W.). Details of the new routes, including drop-off locations and other information, are available online at https://bit.ly/3rJGGOo.
Public Health Ontario’s private drinking water testing program analyzes samples for the presence of bacterial indicators of contamination, specifically E. coli and total coliforms. Residents receive test results directly from PHO.
GBPH recommends households that draw their drinking water from wells or other private systems test their water at least three times a year, after any work is
done to their system, and after significant weather events, such as a fast thaw or severe rain.
