Lynden Drinking Water Advisory Lifted

HAMILTON, ON – Today, the Drinking Water Advisory (DWA) for residents of Lynden has been lifted by the Medical Officer of Health. The residents of Lynden had been under a Lead Drinking Water Advisory since September 2011.  

Hamilton Water is distributing Advisory lift notices to all affected residents with advice on how to safely resume normal use of the drinking water. Residents are advised to follow the instructions on how to safely resume the use of their drinking water as described in the lift notification.

Following the completion of the new water treatment plant for Lynden Municipal Water System in July 2020, the Drinking Water Advisory remained in place for a year to allow Hamilton Water to demonstrate sustainable operation of the new treatment facility, conduct robust testing, and complete drinking water system flushing to ensure any residual sediment within the watermains was removed. After one year of operation of the new system with acceptable test results from the treatment facility and water system, Public Health Services has the necessary data to consider removing the precautionary Drinking Water Advisory from Lynden.

Quick facts

• Lynden Municipal Water distribution system has been flushed and sampled for over a year ensuring the water is safe to drink without the use of tap water filters. The Lead in the water system is well below the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) of 0.010 milligrams per litre.
• A drinking water advisory is issued by the Medical Officer of Health when the public’s water source is not safe. It is a preventative measure put in place to protect the health of the public from drinking water that may be contaminated.
• The Advisory was issued in September 2011 following a lab test result that indicated higher than allowable lead concentrations in water. 

“Following the commissioning of the new water treatment facility in Lynden, flushing of the water system, and over a year of sampling, Public Health Services has verified that the water in this community is safe to drink. I want to recognize the community’s patience and understanding as they awaited an outcome to this longstanding drinking water advisory.”  - Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Medical Officer of Health

Additional resources

• www.hamilton.ca/waterquality
• www.hamilton.ca/communitywells