Newmarket's water is safe to drink and use from the tap as a result of the extensive testing and sampling it undergoes. In fact, Newmarket received a 100 per cent inspection score from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks six years in a row.
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Drinking water quality standards
Newmarket's water quality is mandated through the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 (SDWA).
Newmarket has created a operational plan to meet the legislative requirements set out through the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2022. It sets out a framework to develop a Quality Management System (QMS) that is specific and relevant to our drinking water system.
Newmarket's Operational Plan and QMS policy have been endorsed by Mayor and Council. The Town is committed to the consistent delivery of safe drinking water through compliance with applicable legislative and regulatory requirements. Newmarket will strive to achieve this goal through the implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the Drinking Water Quality Management System (DWQMS).
Annual water quality reports
The Town of Newmarket provides Annual Water Quality Reports as part of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002.
Under the Ontario Drinking Water Systems regulation (0.Reg. 170/03), municipalities who maintain drinking water systems are required to prepare an annual report on the operation of the water system and the quality of its water.
Hardcopies of the reports are also available at the Robert N. Shelton Operations Centre. If you have any further questions, please contact the Town of Newmarket at 905-895-5193.
2025 Annual Water Quality Report
The Water Quality and Performance Report for 2024 is now available to view online. If you have any additional questions, please email info@newmarket.ca or call 905-895-5193.
Drinking water system
The Region of York supplies treated drinking water to the Town of Newmarket. The treated drinking water supplied by the Region is a blend of water sourced from Lake Ontario and groundwater wells. The Town then distributes clean, safe drinking water through the local distribution system to individual customers.
In certain rare situations, water from a property could flow back into the Town's drinking water system, creating an unsafe situation. Here's how:
- Backflow happens when the normal flow of water reverses. Flow from a customer's property back in to the drinking water distribution system may occur if there is a large pressure difference between the drinking water system and the customer's private system. This could happen if there is a break in a watermain, during use of a hydrant, or if pumps on private property increase pressure at the site.
- Cross connections exist if clean (potable, drinking) water pipes are connected to a source of contamination, like process water, that may contain chemicals. The contamination can then flow back into the public drinking water system.
Lead in water
The Town of Newmarket regularly conducts water tests including samples for lead annually as required by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to ensure that we continue to provide safe and high-quality water to our residents. The Town does not have any lead pipes on the municipal side of our water distribution system.
Due to sufficient evidence indicating that lead is not leaching from infrastructure in the Newmarket water distribution system, combined with a significant decline in volunteers for residential samples, the Town of Newmarket submitted a request for regulatory relief from lead sampling requirements. This application for relief was approved by the provincial regulating body.
Lead pipes on private property were banned for use in 1975.