Property owners in the Rural Municipality of Ste. Anne who rely on private wells can access subsidized water testing this spring to ensure their drinking water is free from harmful bacteria. The local government is hosting testing days on May 28 and June 25, 2026, allowing residents to check for E. coli and coliform bacteria at a reduced cost of $17.67 per sample.
The program is facilitated by the Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District, which manages the collection and transport of samples to Duracan Laboratory, an accredited laboratory in Winnipeg. This initiative is part of a broader Province of Manitoba program designed to help rural homeowners monitor water quality, particularly following the spring snowmelt when risks of contamination can increase.
To participate, residents must drop off their water samples at the Rural Municipality of Ste. Anne office at 395 Traverse Road before 10:00 AM on the designated testing dates. Each well is limited to one subsidized sample per year, and payments must be made by cash or cheque only. The provincial drinking water quality standard for these bacteria is zero detectable units per 100 mL.
According to the province, approximately 40 percent of private wells in Manitoba test positive for total coliform bacteria and roughly 5 percent test positive for E. coli at any given time. These results are typically linked to issues with well construction, maintenance, or nearby septic systems rather than issues with the local aquifer. If a test returns a positive result for bacteria, homeowners will receive instructions on how to disinfect their water source and will be provided with a free coupon to retest the water after treatment.
