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Well Water Sampling

Homeowners can pick up and drop off bacterial water sample bottles at several locations throughout our Health Unit area. If you are sampling as a Small Drinking Water System you must use the services of a private licensed lab. Sampling for chemicals and minerals in your water can only be tested through a private licensed lab (listed below).

Where to Pickup Bottles for Private Drinking Water Testing

Sample bottles are provided free of charge to homeowners with private wells at any of our Health Unit offices located in Smiths Falls, Brockville, Kemptville and Gananoque. Sample bottles are also available at the following municipal offices: Athens, Beckwith, Drummond/North Elmsley, Edwardsburg/Cardinal, Elizabethtown/Kitley, Lanark Highlands, Leeds and the 1000 Islands, Merrickville-Wolford, Mississippi Mills, Montague, Perth, Rideau Lakes and Tay Valley, Westport.

Water Bottle Pick-Up and Drop-Off Sites

Empty water bottles are available at all locations during regular business hours.

*Results will be mailed to the submitter’s mailing address that appeared on the form.

Private Citizen Drinking Water Report Pick Up:

  • Contact: [email protected] to ask to receive your report by email.
  • If the client ticked the “I will pick up report at the laboratory” box on the requisition, the test report will be mailed to the submitter’s mailing address that appeared on the form.
  • (O): Ottawa Public Health Laboratory
  • (K): Kingston Public Health Laboratory

Almonte Library (Township of Mississippi Mills Library)
155 High Street, Mississippi Mills, Ontario
Monday and Wednesday: 9:00am–5:00pm
Tuesday and Thursday: 9:00am–7:00pm

Laboratory: Ottawa Public Health Laboratory

Health Unit Office
458 Laurier Boulevard, Brockville, Ontario
Monday–Thursday
8:30am–4:30pm (closed 12:00pm–1:00pm)
Laboratory: Kingston Public Health Laboratory

Health Unit Site
375 William Street South, Gananoque, Ontario Suite 200
(Before going to the service site please call on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1-800-660-5853)
Laboratory: Kingston Public Health Laboratory

North Grenville Municipal Office
285 County Road #44, Kemptville, Ontario
Monday–Thursday
8:30am–5:00pm
Laboratory: Ottawa Public Health Laboratory

Township Office
75 George Street, Lanark, Ontario
First Tuesday of every month
9:00am–4:00pm
Laboratory: Ottawa Public Health Laboratory

Tay Valley Township Office
217 Harper Road, Perth Ontario
Monday–Thursday
8:30am–4:00pm
Laboratory: Ottawa Public Health Laboratory

Country Roads Community Health Centre
4319 Cove Road at Highway 15, Portland, Ontario
Monday–Thursday
8:30am–4:30pm
Laboratory: Kingston Public Health Laboratory

Health Unit Office
25 Johnston Street, Smiths Falls, Ontario
Monday–Thursday
8:30am–4:30pm (closed 12:00pm–1:00pm)
Laboratory: Ottawa Public Health Laboratory

The Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Municipal Office Building
18 Centre Street, Spencerville, Ontario
Tuesdays 7:30am–4:30pm
Wednesday 7:30am–8:30am
A cooler will be placed inside the front doors to place your filled sample bottles.
Laboratory: Ottawa Public Health Laboratory

How to Take a Water Sample

Follow these steps to properly sample your water:

  1. Samples must be collected in a health unit or private lab water sampling bottle. The bottles may contain a preservative, do not rinse the bottle before collecting the water sample.
  2. Take the sample from a tap that you would normally use for drinking water in your home or small drinking water system. Remove all filters or aerators from the faucet. Carefully clean the end of the tap with a clean cloth and some bleach or an alcohol swab. Let the cold water run for at least three (3) minutes prior to taking your sample.
  3. Avoid contaminating the sampling bottle or lid, have clean hands and keep the lid in your hand, and avoid touching the inside of the cap.
  4. Be sure to fill out the attached paper work completely. Private homeowners can get quick results by calling 1-877-723-3426 and using the bar code provided within the home water testing kit.
  5. Once the sample is taken, keep it cold but not frozen until you can get the sample to the sample drop-off location.

Please do not rely on the results from a single sample. A series of three samples taken one to two weeks apart will help determine the safety of your water over time.

Licensed Labs

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is responsible for licensing laboratories to perform drinking water testing. Private home owners can sample their drinking water for chemicals and minerals through a private lab. The Public Health Lab only samples private well water for bacteria. A Small Drinking Water System sampling their water for bacteria must register with and sample through a private lab.

List of Local Private Labs

Eurofins Environment Testing Inc. – Kingston – No longer providing private citizen well water testing services.  See Eurofins Environment Testing Inc. – Ottawa
146 Colonnade Road, Unit 8,
Ottawa, Ontario K2E 7Y1
Amy Walpole-James
Phone: 613-727-5692
Fax: 613-727-5222
Email: [email protected]
Outside Clients: Yes
Valid License Classes: Mico-biological, Organic Chemical, Physical/Other, Inorganic-Chemical

Caduceon Environmental Laboratories – Kingston
285 Dalton Avenue,
Kingston, Ontario K7M 6Z1
Steve Garrett
Phone: 613-544-2001
Fax: 613-544-2770
Email: [email protected]
Outside Clients: Yes
Valid License Classes: Mico-biological, Organic Chemical, Physical/Other, Inorganic-Chemical

SGS Environmental Services – Lakefield
185 Concession Street,
Lakefield, Ontario K0L 2H0
Lisa Clements
Phone: 705-652-2000 or 1-877-747-7658
Email: [email protected]
Outside Clients: Yes
Valid License Classes: Mico-biological, Organic Chemical, Physical/Other, Inorganic-Chemical

Eurofins Environment Testing Inc.
146 Colonnade Road, Unit 8,
Ottawa, Ontario K2E 7Y1
Amy Walpole-James
Phone: 613-727-5692
Fax: 613-727-5222
Email: [email protected]
Outside Clients: Yes
Valid License Classes: Mico-biological, Organic Chemical, Physical/Other, Inorganic-Chemical

Caduceon Environmental Laboratories – Ottawa East
2378 Holly Lane,
Ottawa, Ontario K1V 7P1
Andrea Schneider
Phone: 613-526-0123
Fax: 613-526-1244
Email: [email protected]
Outside Clients: Yes
Valid License Classes: Mico-biological, Organic Chemical, Physical/Other, Inorganic-Chemical

Paracel Laboratories Ltd. – No longer providing private citizen well water testing services.
300-2319 St. Laurent Boulevard,
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 4J8
Phone: 613-731-577 or 1-800-749-1947
Outside Clients: Yes
Valid License Classes: Mico-biological, Organic Chemical, Physical/Other, Inorganic-Chemical

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