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Document ID ca-gcdwqgtd-2014-02-05-14 Title Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Guideline Technical Document – Turbidity URL https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/guidelines-canadian-drinking-water-quality-turbidity/page-15-guidelines-canadian-drinking-water-quality-turbidity.html Jurisdiction /ca Subdomain(s) Drinking water, Water treatment Language en Status completed Analyzed at 2026-03-17 15:02:48.954752+00:00 Relevance Technical guidance for optimizing filtration to meet turbidity targets.

7 Qualitative 8 Quantitative 4 Definitions

Q Qualitative Requirements (7)

Req ID	Category	Intent	Legal Status	Name	Subdomain(s)	Context	Conditions	Confidence
#Q001	design	treatment	recommended	Filtration System Design and Operation	drinking water	Filtration systems should be designed and operated to reduce turbidity levels as low as possible.		high
#Q002	treatment	treatment	mandatory	Filtration Technology Optimization	drinking water	In order for utilities to achieve a treated water turbidity target of less than 0.1 NTU, the filtration technology needs to be appropriately designed and the process must be optimized.	When utilities aim to achieve a treated water turbidity target of less than 0.1 NTU	high
#Q003	operational	operational	guidance	Plant Optimization Programs	drinking water	Utilities may achieve plant optimization by following plant optimization programs and setting plant-specific filter performance goals.		high
#Q004	operational	operational	guidance	Alternative Filtration Goal Setting	drinking water	For filtration technologies such as slow sand and diatomaceous earth, a similar approach to data collection, filter self-assessment and performance goal setting can be used to help achieve a filtered water target of 0.10 NTU or less.	Applicable for filtration technologies such as slow sand and diatomaceous earth	medium
#Q005	operational	operational	guidance	Filter Self-Assessment Information Usage	drinking water	This information can be used in the filter self-assessment process to help identify performance-limiting factors, which can then be modified to facilitate filter optimization.	During filter self-assessment for slow sand and diatomaceous earth technologies	medium
#Q006	administrative	operational	guidance	Basis for Plant-Specific Goals	drinking water	In addition, the PSW individual filter performance goals outlined above can be used as the basis for establishing plant-specific goals for slow sand and diatomaceous earth filtration technologies.	Establishing goals for slow sand and diatomaceous earth filtration technologies	high
#Q007	operational	health	recommended	Filtration Technology Striving Goal	drinking water	Accordingly, filtration systems that use conventional, direct, slow sand or diatomaceous earth technologies should strive to achieve a treated water turbidity target of less than 0.1 NTU at all times.	Applicable to conventional, direct, slow sand or diatomaceous earth technologies	high

P Quantitative Requirements (8)

Req ID	Category	Intent	Legal Status	Name	Subdomain(s)	Limit Type	Limit Value	Context	Conditions	Confidence
#P001	physical	treatment	recommended	Treated water turbidity	drinking water	treatment_goal	< 0.1 NTU	At all times for conventional, direct, slow sand or diatomaceous earth technologies	Filtration systems should strive to achieve this target	high
#P002	physical	operational	guidance	Filtered water turbidity	drinking water	treatment_goal	< 0.10 NTU	95 percent of the time based on values recorded at 15 minute time intervals (or more frequent)	PSW goals for achieving the Excellence in Water Treatment Award level	high
#P003	physical	operational	guidance	Maximum filtered water turbidity goal	drinking water	treatment_goal	<= 0.30 NTU	PSW goals for achieving the Excellence in Water Treatment Award level		high
#P004	physical	operational	guidance	Turbidity during backwash recovery period	drinking water	treatment_goal	> 0.10 NTU	Maximum backwash recovery period goal of 15 minutes (time turbidity is above 0.10 NTU)	During backwash recovery	high
#P005	physical	operational	guidance	Combined filter effluent turbidity	drinking water	treatment_goal	< 0.10 NTU	95 percent of the time	PSW goals for achieving the Excellence in Water Treatment Award level	high
#P006	physical	treatment	guidance	Filtered water target (slow sand and diatomaceous earth)	drinking water	treatment_goal	<= 0.10 NTU	For filtration technologies such as slow sand and diatomaceous earth	A similar approach to data collection, filter self-assessment and performance goal setting	high
#P007	operational	operational	guidance	Maximum backwash recovery period goal	drinking water	treatment_goal	<= 15 minutes	Defined as the duration where turbidity remains above 0.10 NTU	PSW goal for Excellence in Water Treatment Award level	high
#P008	operational	operational	guidance	Filtered water turbidity monitoring frequency	drinking water	treatment_goal	<= 15 minutes	Maximum interval for recording filtered water turbidity values	PSW goal for Excellence in Water Treatment Award level	high

D Definitions (4)

Req ID	Name	Context	Confidence
#D001	PSW	Partnership for Safe Water	high
#D002	AWWA	American Water Works Association	high
#D003	Programme d'excellence en eau potable	Program for excellence in drinking water	high
#D004	Maximum backwash recovery period goal	time turbidity is above 0.10 NTU	high