Sodium in Drinking Water

Sodium in Drinking Water

What is Sodium?

Sodium is a naturally occurring mineral in food and water and is a necessary element of human health. Typically, the consumption of sodium from food is much higher than from drinking water. Sodium is needed in the human body to maintain blood pressure, control fluid levels, and for nerve and muscle function.

How does sodium get into the drinking water?

Sodium in raw water sources can vary dramatically depending on if the water source is from a lake, river or well. The naturally occurring sodium levels in the groundwater aquifers or from surface water that the drinking water system intakes from.

What is an acceptable level of sodium in drinking water?

There is no maximum acceptable concentration of sodium in drinking water, because it is not a toxic element. However, the aesthetic objective (i.e. non-health related). for sodium in drinking water is ≤200 mg/L, at which point it can be detected by a salty taste by the average person.

Although the average intake of sodium from drinking water is only a small fraction of that consumed in a normal diet, the intake from this source could be significant for persons suffering from hypertension or congestive heart failure who may require a sodium-restricted diet.

How often is sodium testing conducted on the Township’s Drinking Water Supplies?

Under the Ontario Drinking Systems Regulation (O. Reg. 170/03), drinking water systems are required to test water supplies for sodium once every 5 years. All samples are sent to an external accredited laboratory for analysis.

O. Reg. 170/03 requires that a report be made to the local Medical Officer of Health if a sodium result exceeds 20 mg/L in a sample of drinking water.

Results over 20 mg/L must be reported to Public Health.

Sodium Test Results in Whitewater Region's Drinking Water Systems

	January 9, 2024	January 16, 2024
Haley DWS	69.1 mg/L	65.5 mg/L
Beachburg DWS	27.4 mg/L	24.7 mg/L
Cobden DWS	17.4 mg/L	n/a

External Resources

Government of Canada: Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Guideline Technical Document – Sodium

Renfrew County Health Unit: Safe Water

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