Customers of the Shawnigan Lake North Water System have expressed  taste and odours concerns with the water but the water remains safe to drink.  Recent water samples show all parameters are within the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines and the cause of the taste and odours is likely due to a type of brown algae found in Shawnigan Lake.   Algae blooms occur each year at Shawnigan Lake and they are a somewhat unpredictable occurrence that is influenced by sunlight, amount of nutrients and warmer temperatures. Some years, the effect on the water quality is more noticeable, as it is this year.  

The system water is sampled each week for bacterial contamination (E. Coli and total coliforms) and past results for these routine tests have been negative for bacterial contamination.

A complete metal scan was performed on May 16 and all parameters were within the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines.