Sponsored
Drinking water filters and test kits
Pitcher and under-sink filters, plus hardness strips and TDS meters for tap checks.
Edmonton Drinking Water Quality
By OpenStats · Built from official Canadian sources
Direct municipal dataA
Water quality grade
Excellent
Graded against Health Canada drinking water guidelines
Lead within guidelinepH in range
Hardness vs provincial average177 mg/L · prov. avg 168 mg/L
Lead vs provincial average0 μg/L · prov. avg 0.3 μg/L
Hardness
177 mg/L
Lead
0 μg/L
≤ 5 μg/L
pH
7.9
6.5–8.5 range
Hardness
177 mg/L
Hard
Lead
0 μg/L
Max: 5 μg/L
pH
7.9
6.5–8.5
Chlorine
0.5 mg/L
Max: 4 mg/L
From source to sink
Where Edmonton water comes from
Lakes, rivers, wells, and treatment plants behind the kitchen tap, in plain language. Chemistry grades above are a separate lab snapshot; this section is the route the water travels.
Open the full tap storyOn the map
Where Edmonton water lives
Source waters and treatment plants pinned from published utility names. Open a pin below for the full OpenStreetMap view.
- CityEdmonton
Municipal service area
- Source waterNorth Saskatchewan River
River at Edmonton
- Treatment plantE.L. Smith Water Treatment Plant
West Edmonton river plant
- Treatment plantRossdale Water Treatment Plant
Rossdale flats
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins are approximate for orientation, not legal survey points.
Where it starts
Surface water
Research confidence: high
Named source waters
- North Saskatchewan River
Treatment plants
E.L. Smith Water Treatment Plant
Upstream of much of the urban footprint; submerged mid-river intake with fish-return design. Larger of the two EPCOR plants serving Edmonton and capital-region wholesale customers.
Rossdale Water Treatment Plant
Near city centre; river intake experiences more urban stormwater influence. Longstanding plant site with continuous operation since early 1900s (current works mid-century).
How it reaches your street
EPCOR treats water and supplies Edmonton plus regional commissions (Parkland, Southwest, Northeast and others). On-site plant reservoirs buffer demand before high-lift pumps feed the transmission and municipal distribution networks.
SponsoredAlso consider
Water filter pitcher
Popular everyday tap filter
SponsoredAlso consider
Brita replacement filters
Recurring purchase
SponsoredAlso consider
Under-sink water filter
Higher capacity drinking water
SponsoredAlso consider
Reverse osmosis system
High-ticket under-sink upgrade
As an Amazon Associate, OpenStats earns from qualifying purchases.
Partner
Lab water test for Edmonton taps
Municipal reports cover the plant. A Tap Score kit tests the water at a Edmonton tap for a broader contaminant panel.
Lab kit partner link. We may earn a commission when tracking is active.
Partner
Waterdrop filtration systems
Under-sink and RO systems from Waterdrop Canada — a direct brand alternative to marketplace filters.
Waterdrop affiliate link. We may earn a commission.
Reading this page
Edmonton's most recent drinking water sample (2026-07-22) reports hardness of 177 mg/L, classified as hard, and pH 7.9, drawn from a groundwater water source and treated at Edmonton Water Treatment Plant. Lead measured 0 μg/L and fluoride 0.6 mg/L.
Free chlorine measured 0.5 mg/L in this sample. No E. coli was detected in this sample.
Edmonton's hardness of 177 mg/L is above the Alberta average of 168 mg/L across 19 tracked municipalities, with a provincial average pH of 7.5.
These readings summarize a single compliance snapshot, not a certification of the water reaching your tap. Test your own water periodically, especially on a private well, and consider a softener if hardness is classified hard or very hard.
How to use this page: read the headline metrics first, then where the water comes from (map and tap story), then the parameter table and source footer.
All monitored parameters meet Health Canada guidelines.
All health parameters meet Health Canada guidelines with comfortable pH, hardness, and turbidity.
Figure 1 · From source to sink
How drinking water reaches your tap
Compared to provincial average
Alberta · 19 cities in sample
Hardness (city vs Alberta avg)177 mg/L
pH (city vs Alberta avg)7.9
Lead (city vs Alberta avg)0 μg/L
Fluoride (city vs Alberta avg)0.6 mg/L
Provincial average: hardness 168 mg/L · pH 7.5 · lead 0.3 μg/L · fluoride 0.6 mg/L
Full parameters
| Parameter | Reading | Health Canada guideline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardness | 177 mg/L | No health limit (aesthetic) | Compliant |
| pH | 7.9 | 6.5–8.5 | Compliant |
| Lead | 0 μg/L | ≤ 5 μg/L | Compliant |
| Fluoride | 0.6 mg/L | ≤ 1.5 mg/L | Compliant |
| Chlorine (free) | 0.5 mg/L | ≤ 4 mg/L | Compliant |
| Turbidity | 0.1 NTU | ≤ 1 NTU (typical target) | Compliant |
Alberta water licences
WaterRegister.ca
On a private well or holding an Alberta water allocation licence? Water Register maps EPA licence records, transfer comparables, and watershed context across the province.
Explore WaterRegister.ca →Drinking water filters and test kits
Pitcher and under-sink filters, plus hardness strips and TDS meters for tap checks.
As an Amazon Associate, OpenStats earns from qualifying purchases.
· Compare options- Shop on Amazon.caWater filter pitcherPopular everyday tap filter
- Shop on Amazon.caBrita replacement filtersRecurring purchase
- Shop on Amazon.caUnder-sink water filterHigher capacity drinking water
- Shop on Amazon.caReverse osmosis systemHigh-ticket under-sink upgrade
- Shop on Amazon.caShower filterChlorine at the showerhead
- Shop on Amazon.caWater test kitLead, pH, and hardness spot-check
- Shop on Amazon.caTDS meterQuick dissolved-solids readout
- Shop on Amazon.caWater hardness test stripsQuick tap reading
Source · EPCOR Edmonton annual water quality report. Last updated 2026-07-22. Refreshed on the site's automated schedule.