PENHOLD— A resident is criticizing the Town of Penhold’s drinking water after he discovered sodium levels are above maximum Canadian Drinking Water guidelines.
But Mayor Dennis Cooper and chief administrative officer Rick Binnendyk say the water is safe to drink according to Alberta Environment.
Fred Robinson, who moved with his wife Carolyn to the bedroom community south of Red Deer late last year, said he’s appalled with the water that comes from two water wells.
“Why do people have to accept this when they can tie into the Red Deer water system fairly easy, as I understand it?” he said. “You shouldn’t have to force people to drink salt water.”
Robinson said the Town of Penhold’s results of water tested in December 2009 showed sodium levels were at 351 mg/litre. The guideline maximum for Canada is set at 200 mg/litre.
He lives in a new area of the town, which has a population of 2,300.
“It’s not the same water as in Red Deer,” he said.
Robinson said he took a sample to a water company in Gasoline Alley to have it tested. Those tests found sodium levels were at 351 mg/litre as well.
He was sold a reverse osmosis system — a water treatment process in which clean water passes through a semi-permeable membrane, leaving behind impurities — for $1,300.
Robinson said the sodium is noticeable. He can’t wash the vehicle or the siding of his house without having white spots or residue all over. He wonders how long it will take before his new appliances or hot water tank need replacing.
And he said he’s concerned about people who have health issues and what these sodium levels may do.
Binnendyk said daily checks are done of the water reservoirs and once a week, samples are sent to Alberta Environment for detailed analysis.
“Our water quality falls within the standards very easily,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”
Cooper said the town is looking at an additional water supply, the closest being the Mountview Water Commission located on the Red Deer River, west of Innisfail. “We have talked with them but we have no plans,” he said. “I can’t put a pin on a calendar and say it’s going to happen at this time.”
He said it’s important for people to know that the province has strict standards.
“If we weren’t meeting the standard, the Alberta government and Alberta Environment would tell us to fix that right away,” he said.
Health Canada reports that sodium is not considered toxic.
Up to five grams a day of sodium is consumed by normal adults. Although the average intake of sodium from drinking water is only a small fraction of that consumed in a normal diet, Health Canada reports the intake from this source could be significant for persons suffering from hypertension or congestive heart failure who may require a sodium-restricted diet.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com