Renfrew-Collingwood Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.6
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.005 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
183.3 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.21
energy & soap waste
Source: Health Canada Water Quality · Updated 2026
0–60
mg/L
Soft
61–120
mg/L
Moderately Hard
121–180
mg/L
Hard
180+
mg/L
Very Hard
Appliance Damage Report
In Renfrew-Collingwood, your appliances are currently losing 11% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Renfrew-Collingwood | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.9 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -19% |
| Washing Machine | 10.6 yrs | 12 yrs | -12% |
| Water Heater | 12.4 yrs | 15 yrs | -17% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Renfrew-Collingwood compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | Mineralization | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Renfrew-Collingwood, British Columbia | 80.5 mg/L | Medium | 🟡 Moderately Hard |
| Renfrew Heights, British Columbia | 37.5 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| Killarney, British Columbia | 46.5 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| Kensington-Cedar Cottage, British Columbia | 20.5 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| East Hastings, British Columbia | 17.5 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
National Benchmark
How Renfrew-Collingwood compares to the Canada average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Renfrew-Collingwood | 80.5 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| Canada National Avg | 141 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Vancouver Top Rated | 3 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Renfrew-Collingwood's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Renfrew-Collingwood (a neighbourhood in east Vancouver, between Commercial Drive and Boundary Road adjacent to Burnaby) receives its drinking water through the City of Vancouver, purchasing bulk supply from Metro Vancouver (GVWD) — sourced from the protected mountain watersheds of Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam reservoirs. Water is treated at the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant using ozonation, biofiltration, UV disinfection, and chloramination, fully meeting the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ). Hardness in Renfrew-Collingwood's distribution zone is 80.5 mg/L (4.7 gpg) — classified as moderately hard by Health Canada, significantly elevated above Metro Vancouver's 4–6 mg/L mountain source baseline.
Renfrew-Collingwood's elevated hardness — among the higher values measured across Vancouver's inner-city distribution zones — likely reflects a combination of the area's eastern Vancouver supply corridor characteristics, proximity to the Burnaby distribution boundary, and possible contribution from local Vancouver groundwater supplementation. The east Vancouver distribution network, serving a transition zone between Metro Vancouver's mountain supply and Burnaby's more varied supply infrastructure, shows consistently elevated mineral content compared to the source.
At 80.5 mg/L, Renfrew-Collingwood residents experience moderate scale deposits on tap aerators and kettle elements — descaling every two months is advisable. Hot water tanks operate reliably at this hardness without dedicated treatment. The City of Vancouver provides annual water quality reports at vancouver.ca, and residents who notice significant mineral deposits are encouraged to access zone-specific hardness data to confirm their local supply characteristics and consider point-of-use filtration if preferred.
Geology & Source: Supplied by City of Vancouver from Metro Vancouver (GVWD) mountain reservoir water — Renfrew-Collingwood's east Vancouver distribution zone reflects elevated mineral content characteristic of the city's eastern distribution corridor at 80.5 mg/L (4.7 gpg).