North Kawartha and Trent Lakes Well Water Sampling Program Resumes
Written by Comms Team, April 15, 2025
Spring Melt Brings Higher Risk for Contamination of Well Water
The well water sampling drop off program will resume for the 2025 season on Tuesday, April 22nd in the Township of North Kawartha and the Municipality of Trent Lakes. The program offers free water sample collection kit pick-up and sample drop-off through these municipal offices.
Beginning Tuesday, April 22nd, water samples can be dropped off at:
- North Kawartha Municipal Office – 280 Burleigh Street,?Apsley, ON
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. - Trent Lakes Municipal Office – 760 County Road 36, Trent Lakes, ON
Tuesday and Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Samples are then couriered to the Public Health Ontario Lab in Peterborough for testing. Empty sample bottles can be picked up from these offices at any time during regular business hours. Samples must be dropped off at the municipal offices within 24 hours of collection to ensure they reach the lab and are processed in a timely manner. Residents are encouraged to carefully read the sampling and collection instructions included with each kit. Filled sample bottles should be delivered to the front desk at the municipal office. Staff will then place it in a fridge until it is collected by the courier.
Well water testing is recommended at least twice a year, in the Spring and Fall. Water samples are tested for two types of bacterial contamination: total coliforms and E. coli. Anyone can become ill if they consume contaminated water, but young people, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk.
Water samples can also be dropped off year-round at the following locations:
- Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township Office, 1 Ottawa Street, Havelock
Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Peterborough Public Health, 185 King Street, Peterborough
Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Friday., 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon - Public Health Ontario Laboratory, 99 Hospital Drive
Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Residents will receive water quality results by mail or can call Public Health Ontario’s Interactive Voice Response at 1-877-723-3426. If you have questions about your test results, please call the PPH Safe Water Program at 705-743-1000, ext. 232, for more information.
To learn more about well water safety, visit www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca/well-water-safety
-30-
For further information, please contact:
Media Relations
media@peterboroughpublichealth.ca
Keely-Anne Johnson
Secretary/Receptionist
Township of North Kawartha
705-656-5175
K.Johnson@northkawartha.ca
Rachel Stark
Economic Development and Communications Officer
Municipality of Trent Lakes
705-738-3800, ext. 223
rstark@trentlakes.ca