Table 2.
Metals concentrations in drinking waters in First Nations communities by regions
| Sample size | Detection limit (μg/L) | Mean (μg/L) | Median (μg/L) | 75th (μg/L) | 95th (μg/L) | Max (μg/L) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia (2008–2009) | |||||||
| Lead | 300 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 3.9 | 6.3 |
| Uranium | 300 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 4.5 |
| Aluminum | 300 | 1 | 16.6 | 2.0 | 9.0 | 147.3 | 287.0 |
| Copper | 300 | 0.2 | 35.8 | 11.2 | 33.4 | 146.3 | 618.0 |
| Iron | 300 | 10 | 31.3 | 19.0 | 48.0 | 79.1 | 527.0 |
| Manganese | 300 | 0.2 | 5.3 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 24.9 | 250.0 |
| Sodium | 300 | 10 | 11,442 | 3265 | 13,625 | 28,625 | 292,000 |
| Zinc | 300 | 1 | 23.9 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 72.1 | 1690.0 |
| Manitoba (2010) | |||||||
| Lead | 140 | 0.2 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 3.1 | 11.1 | 24.7 |
| Uranium | 142 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 9.6 |
| Aluminum | 142 | 1 | 1824.5 | 120.0 | 471.8 | 13,185.0 | 18,200.0 |
| Copper | 142 | 0.2 | 143.6 | 74.2 | 366.0 | 1060.0 | 6540.0 |
| Iron | 142 | 10 | 48.7 | 17.0 | 42.5 | 149.6 | 1700.0 |
| Manganese | 142 | 0.2 | 47.9 | 3.4 | 21.3 | 278.8 | 321.0 |
| Sodium | 142 | 10 | 57,235 | 9090 | 130,750 | 217,700 | 392,000 |
| Zinc | 142 | 1 | 173.7 | 13.0 | 47.3 | 366.8 | 5150.0 |
| Ontario (2011–2012) | |||||||
| Lead | 318 | 0.2 | 3.4 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 13.7 | 120.0 |
| Uranium | 322 | 0.1 | 2.0 | <0.1 | 0.7 | 20.7 | 37.1 |
| Aluminum | 322 | 0.1 | 77.2 | 20.0 | 57.0 | 505.5 | 1320.0 |
| Copper | 322 | 0.2 | 68.2 | 22.3 | 49.9 | 268.7 | 3380.0 |
| Iron | 322 | 10 | 30.2 | <10 | 32.0 | 104.9 | 925.0 |
| Manganese | 322 | 0.2 | 6.28 | 1.83 | 6.40 | 39.10 | 96.00 |
| Sodium | 322 | 10 | 23,500 | 12,800 | 22,150 | 56,260 | 840,000 |
| Zinc | 322 | 1 | 22.2 | <1 | 4.5 | 92.5 | 1730.0 |
| Alberta (2013) | |||||||
| Lead | 93 | 0.2 | 1.2 | <0.5 | 0.7 | 4.2 | 45.0 |
| Uranium | 106 | 0.1 | <1 | <1 | <1 | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| Aluminum | 106 | 1 | 72.9 | <1 | 43.0 | 340.0 | 566.0 |
| Copper | 106 | 0.2 | 14.1 | 5.6 | 16.6 | 65.8 | 120.0 |
| Iron | 106 | 10 | 124.2 | <50 | <50 | 495.0 | 5500.0 |
| Manganese | 106 | 0.2 | 11.7 | 3.0 | 16.9 | 51.5 | 87.5 |
| Sodium | 106 | 10 | 97,649 | 53,100 | 81,700 | 376,000 | 544,000 |
| Zinc | 106 | 1 | 14.4 | 6.5 | 12.4 | 56.8 | 314.0 |
| Atlantic (2014) | |||||||
| Lead | 216 | 0.5 | 3.3 | <1 | 1.2 | 18.0 | 107.0 |
| Uranium | 217 | 1 | <1 | <1 | <1 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
| Aluminum | 217 | 10 | 30.0 | <10 | 15.3 | 124.3 | 203.0 |
| Copper | 217 | 1 | 70.9 | 30.0 | 85.4 | 281.3 | 673.0 |
| Iron | 217 | 50 | 75.1 | <50 | 66.0 | 377.5 | 407.0 |
| Manganese | 217 | 1 | 52.0 | 6.0 | 20.0 | 449.0 | 813.0 |
| Sodium | 217 | 500 | 30,265 | 21,250 | 36,325 | 126,000 | 132,000 |
| Zinc | 217 | 3 | 14.5 | 5.9 | 11.1 | 63.2 | 373.0 |
| Saskatchewan (2015) | |||||||
| Lead | 228 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 4.6 | 43.8 |
| Uranium | 224 | 0.01 | 2.3 | 0.03 | 4.5 | 12.5 | 46.2 |
| Aluminum | 224 | 10 | 21.4 | <10 | 13.0 | 92.4 | 196.0 |
| Copper | 224 | 1 | 42.7 | 12.5 | 35.2 | 195.6 | 1190.0 |
| Iron | 224 | 50 | <50 | <50 | <50 | <50 | 2790.0 |
| Manganese | 224 | 0.5 | 35.9 | 2.2 | 4.7 | 107.0 | 3250.0 |
| Sodium | 224 | 500 | 65,141 | 9190 | 27,700 | 644,400 | 698,000 |
| Zinc | 224 | 3 | 28.1 | 5.4 | 11.6 | 96.3 | 1220.0 |
| Quebec (2016) | |||||||
| Lead | 160 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 25.3 |
| Uranium | 167 | 0.01 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 9.5 |
| Aluminum | 167 | 10 | 17.6 | <10 | 18.0 | 64.8 | 157.0 |
| Copper | 167 | 1 | 45.6 | 20.7 | 54.3 | 190.4 | 435.0 |
| Iron | 167 | 50 | 72.4 | <50 | <50 | 38.6 | 5070.0 |
| Manganese | 167 | 0.5 | 11.1 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 18.7 | 929.0 |
| Sodium | 167 | 500 | 37,590 | 13,600 | 16,450 | 219,000 | 866,000 |
| Zinc | 167 | 3 | 44.7 | 5.2 | 10.0 | 324.8 | 388.0 |
Estimates on metals concentrations are based on flushed samples for all metals except lead
For lead, all estimates are based on first draw samples (Health Canada 2019d)