Drinking Water
In Thunder Bay, our drinking water comes from Lake Superior, delivered to us from the Bare Point Water Treatment Plant, located on Lakeshore Drive. Because of the location and depth of the intake at the Bare Point Water Treatment Plant, the water quality does not change quickly, ensuring a safe water supply for City of Thunder Bay water system consumers.
Raw water taken directly from the lake is not suitable for drinking, and must be treated to meet Ontario’s drinking water regulations. Water is drawn into the Bare Point Water Treatment Plant from its source, where it undergoes three main processes before being transported through the City’s extensive system of water supply pipes and reservoirs to the consumer’s tap.
The City’s Certificates of Approval from the Ministry of Environment set stringent monitoring requirements for drinking water. The City employs a certified lab, Enviro-Test Laboratories, for its drinking water testing requirements. The results of this monitoring process are available in the latest City of Thunder Bay Drinking Water Quality Annual Report, prepared as required by Ontario’s Drinking Water Protection Regulation.
