Your Water

Where Does Your Water Come From?

Water is an essential component of healthy living that is often taken for granted. Have you ever thought of what happens before the tap is turned on and the water starts to flow?

Up to 70 per cent of our body is made up of water. We use it in almost every facet of our lives. Water is an invaluable commodity - learn to appreciate its sparkle.

Water Treatment

York Region supplies our residents with drinking water from two sources - ground and surface water.

Both sources of water derive their supply from precipitation falling in the form of rain, snow, sleet and hail. This precipitation is either pulled by gravity through soil, sand, gravel or rock into the earth as groundwater, or runs along the surface of the earth to form lakes and rivers.

Groundwater
Groundwater infiltrates the soil, deep into the ground to an area saturated with water. This area is called the aquifer, with the area just above it known as the water table.

Water is retrieved via a well and pump, drawing "raw water" to the surface. The water is treated to remove impurities and to ensure that it meets Ontario's stringent water quality levels. It is then pumped to water towers and reservoirs.

Surface Water
Some areas of York Region are serviced by lake or surface water. The two lakes providing drinking water to the Region are Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe.

"Raw" lake water is pumped via long pipes to the water treatment plant where it is filtered to remove impurities and to ensure that it meets quality levels determined by the provincial government. It is then pumped to water towers and reservoirs.

What Happens to Your Water Leaving Your House?

For as much water as we take in, almost an equal amount goes out, whether it's via your sink, garden hose, toilet or washing machine.

All water leaving a home or business travels through pipes known as a local collection system. In York Region, the majority of this wastewater is treated at the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) in Pickering.

Wastewater Treatment

Once the wastewater arrives at the Duffin Creek WPCP, it goes through numerous processes to remove impurities.

Preliminary treatment eliminates objects from the water. These objects are then either taken to landfill or incinerated. Secondary treatment involves the use of (and then removal of) micro-organisms to eliminate pollution in the water. Chemicals are added to ensure that the water leaving the plant is as clean as possible and adheres to strict provincial legislation.