Environment
Drinking Water
Water analysis of private wells
Procedure for water analysis of private wells 2022
- Call Eurofins Environex at 1-877-977-1220 to place your order. Choose the Sherbrooke laboratory or extension 7155.
- Indicate the analysis you want, mentioning the agreement established with the Municipality of the Township of Potton (Proposal #L-30490):
-
- Microbiological (including total coliforms and E. coli as well as enterococci): 85$ +taxes
- 2-3 metals (a choice) : 50$ + taxes
- Shipping included
- Pay in advance with credit card directly to Eurofins Environex.
- You will receive a cooler with containers from the Eurofins Environex shipping department, at the indicated address of your choice.
- Take the samples by following the instructions and procedures found in the cooler.
- Complete the form and include your email address to ensure you receive your results.
- Send your samples via the transport service within the required time.
- You will find a return weigh bill slip included in the cooler for you to use to ship your sample back.
- To plan your sample pick-up, contact the shipper the day before or early in the morning.
- The shelf life of microbiological analyzes is 48h. It is therefore important to ship the samples the same day they are collected.
Rainwater recovery barrels
The MRC Memphrémagog finances the purchase of rainwater recovery barrels.
For more information, visit this link. (In French only)
Saving drinking water
Awareness campaign on how not to waste drinking water “Mon empreinte bleue”
Despite a perception of abundance and free-cost, water services, certain fees still represent significant costs for municipalities.
As the protection of this collective wealth is everyone’s business, it is important that citizens be aware of this environmental and economic issue. Here are some numbers that speak for themselves :
Click to see message: Shower
Average flow of a shower: 9.5 liters / minute
Average duration of a shower: 7.8 minutes
Average length of a song: 5 minutes
Our calculation: (9.5 L / min) x (7.8-5) minutes x 7 days ≈ 186.2 liters / person / week
Click to see message: Tooth Brushing
Average capacity of the faucets: 8.3 liters / min
Toothbrushing time: 3 minutes, 2 times per day
Our calculation: (8.3 L / min) x 3 minutes x 2 brushings per day x 7 days = 349 liters / week
Click to see message: Toilet
Flow of a standard toilet: 13.25 liters / flush (WaterSense, 2012)
Flow rate of a low flow toilet: 4.8 liters / flush (WaterSense, 2012)
We go to the bathroom about 5 times a day (Residential End use, Water Resource Foundation (2016)
Volume of an Olympic swimming pool: 2500 m³
Our calculation: (13,25 -4,8) L / hunting x 5 hunts / day x 365 days x 8.3 M inhabitants) ≈ 127,996,375 m3 / year
127,996,375 ÷ 2,500 m³ ≈ 51,199 Olympic swimming pools
Water Saving Strategy
In response to the commitment of 49 of the National Water Policy, Quebec adopted the Drinking Water Saving Strategy. This is part of the global context of tighter policies on water, in a perspective of integrated management and sustainable development.
Quebec is one of the largest consumers of water in the world. In 2006, the drinking water production was 35% higher than the Canadian average and 62% higher than Ontario. The volume of water distributed was 795 liters per person per day, while the Canadian average was 591 and that of Ontario was 491.
By 2025, the three objectives for all of Quebec are:
- The 20% reduction in the amount of water distributed per person compared to 2015;
- Achieving a moderate level of leakage according to the International Water Association’s index;
- The gradual increase in the investments required to maintain assets sustainably while gradually eliminating the maintenance deficit.
Municipalities must:
- Produce the Annual Review of the Municipal Strategy for Drinking Water Conservation;
- Implement progressive actions to control water losses based on the water loss indicator;
- Implement progressive actions to save water for consumers based on the residential consumption indicator;
- Set up progressive actions that concern the sustainable management of municipal resources and assets;
- Present the report of the annual report to the municipal council.
If targets are not met, municipalities must:
- Install water meters in the non-residential sector;
- Introduce appropriate pricing after consultation with the municipal sector.
To calculate how much water you use at home and for water saving tips:
www.home-water-works.org
Drinking water quality
Annual drinking water quality reviews for Mansonville and Owl’s Head are available at City Hall upon request.
Lead in drinking water: What to do? (in French only)
Annual report on the quality of drinking water, year 2020