Water

Our region’s drinking water comes from EPCOR’s treatment plants. Starting in late March 2023, EPCOR will add orthophosphate to its water treatment process to protect customers from lead in drinking water and water pipe corrosion. While there isn’t lead in the water when it leaves the treatment plant, lead can get into the drinking water through lead pipes and other household plumbing fixtures.

Orthophosphate FAQs

What is orthophosphate?
Orthophosphate is tasteless, odourless and safe. Phosphate is naturally found in foods like bread, cheese, fruits and nuts. It’s also a common additive in beverages. Orthophosphate creates a protective barrier on plumbing surfaces to reduce the release of lead in drinking water from all sources, including lead service lines and plumbing. It is the industry standard for treating lead corrosion in municipalities all over the world and in Canada, and has been endorsed by Alberta Health Services and Alberta Environment and Parks.

Is orthophosphate safe?
Orthophosphate has been approved for use by Alberta Health. The addition of orthophosphate is regarded as the industry standard for proactively dealing with lead and is used by municipalities throughout North America, including Toronto, Winnipeg and Halifax.

Why are you adding orthophosphate to the water treatment process?
In 2019, Health Canada recognized the serious health impacts of lead by lowering the maximum allowable concentration in drinking water. When water leaves the water treatment plants, it is free from lead. However, EPCOR is adding orthophosphate to protect customers from lead that comes from other sources like lead water service lines and interior plumbing, such as valves and faucets. The lead inhibitor (orthophosphate) forms a protective coating inside water lines and on fixtures which helps prevent lead from releasing into the water that flows through the pipes.

What are the health effects related to orthophosphate?
Adding a lead inhibitor (orthophosphate) has no negative effects on health. It is naturally present in food and is a common additive to beverages. 

Why do we need to add a lead inhibitor in Morinville if very few homes have lead service lines?
Lead service lines are not the only source of lead, in-house plumbing fixtures can also be a source of lead in drinking water. Adding a lead inhibitor to the water is part of EPCOR’s comprehensive approach to minimizing the risk of lead in drinking water for Morinville and other surrounding regional customers. It also ensures drinking water meets the Health Canada guidelines for lead in drinking water.

How do people know if they have a lead service line or lead plumbing?
If your home was built before 1960, it is more likely it may have lead service lines. Homeowners can also visit epcor.com/lead to see the three-step process for finding out what material your pipes are made of.

Will businesses that use water for manufacturing purposes be affected by the addition of orthophosphate?
It is possible some high volume commercial users will need to make a change to their water processes. EPCOR has communicated with commercial customers in advance of adding orthophosphate in order to give each customer ample time to review their process with a consultant or consult their industry association. If you have not been contacted by EPCOR but still have questions, please visit epcor.com/ortho.

Questions?

To learn more about the orthophosphate addition, please visit epcor.com/ortho.

Throughout our cold months residents may experience frozen water pipes, water meters, and service lines throughout the winter. You are responsible for protecting the water pipes, water meter, and service lines on your property from freezing.

Follow these helpful tips to prevent water outages caused by frozen water pipes, water meters, and service lines:

1. Ensure your water meter and hot water tank are free of any clutter that could prevent warm air from other areas of the house from reaching them.
2. Open interior doors and cabinet doors to allow heat from the house to warm unprotected pipes and water meters in cold basements and similar areas.
3. Regularly run water through your pipes through regular daily use.
4. Check for cold drafts in areas where supply lines are located such as basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
5. Insulate hot and cold-water pipes located in cold areas.
6. If you will be away for an extended time keep your heat on.

You may need to turn the water off to your house for repairs, renovations, or in the case of flooding. Each property with Town water service has a CC Valve located at the property line. The CC Valve is connected to the main water line near the street and can be shut off by our team. Please contact our Infrastructure Services office at 780-939-2590 to inquire.

No current water bans in effect

Water conservation is important to everyone. Conserving water benefits our natural ecosystems, reduces energy use and can even save you money. Making simple changes around your home can significantly lower your water usage. 

Water saving tips

• Turn the water off while you’re brushing your teeth. Instead, fill a glass and use that water to wet your brush and rinse your mouth. Doing this could save 9,100 litres of water per year, per person.
• Don’t use the toilet as a trash can, throw tissues and other trash in the wastebasket, not the toilet.
• Install low-flush toilets in your home. These toilets use less than six litres of water and can save as much as 19 litres of water per flush compared to older models.

• Check for toilet leaks, by putting a little food colouring in the tank. If the colour begins appearing in the bowl after a few minutes even without flushing, your toilet has a leak. 
• Fix dripping faucets, a slow drip can waste 56 to 75 litres a day. 
• Never pour grease or oil down a drain. Besides clogging the drain, you’ll use a great deal of water trying to wash the grease out of the pipes.
• Verify that your home is leak free by reading your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.
• Insulate your water pipes, you’ll get hot water faster and avoid wasting water while it heats up.
• Use a rain barrel and save money by reducing your monthly water bill.

You can also visit EPCOR's Efficiency and Conservation page for more great ideas

Voluntary odd-even watering program

Morinville encourages residents and businesses to adopt an odd/even watering schedule. This supports conservation and assists with the spring/summer high water demand.

On even days of the month, residents of even-numbered addresses can water outside.

On odd days of the month, residents of odd-numbered addresses can water outside.

Tips for more efficient watering:

• Water in the early morning between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.
• Do not water when it is windy.
• Soaking your lawn once per week produces a healthier lawn than watering several times a week.
• Water only when needed, to a maximum of 1 hour a week, or 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) less if it rains. You can measure this by placing a container on your lawn while watering. When the water level reaches 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) you can shut off the sprinklers. This helps produce a deeper root system, which is less likely to be damaged by drought.
• Place your sprinkler so water lands on the lawn or garden, not on paved areas.

• When watering trees and large shrubs, water around the drip-line of the tree (area below the branches where water drips naturally from leaves) not directly at the trunk.

Xeriscaping

Xeriscape landscaping is a method that creates an attractive, sustainable landscape that conserves water.  The objective of xeriscaping is to create a garden or yard that requires little to no watering. This can be achieved by:

• choosing drought resistant plants and grouping them together based on watering requirements
• limiting turf or lawn areas by incorporating areas such as patios or rock gardens
• ensuring any irrigation systems used are operated efficiently
• improving soil so that it is able to absorb water and hold nutrients
• utilizing mulch to help keep moisture in and weeds out

For more information on xeriscaping click here