Durham water, town by town
| Town | Water source | Fluoride | Popular |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitby | Lake Ontario | Added | Softeners · RO · Wells |
| Oshawa | Lake Ontario | Added | Softeners · RO · Wells |
| Ajax | Lake Ontario | Added | Softeners · RO |
| Pickering | Lake Ontario | Added | Softeners · RO · Wells |
| Bowmanville | Lake Ontario | Not added | Softeners · RO · Wells |
| Port Perry | Municipal wells | Not added | Softeners · RO · Wells |
| Uxbridge | Municipal wells | Not added | Softeners · RO · Wells |
Three kinds of water in one region
Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Pickering and Courtice share one connected Lake Ontario system with three plants. Fluoride is added. Expect hard water and chlorine taste.
Bowmanville and Newcastle each have their own Lake Ontario plant. Fluoride isn't added, and Newcastle adds UV disinfection.
Port Perry and Uxbridge run on municipal wells that the Region treats for iron. Rural homes across north Durham are on private wells.
Choose your town
Free well water testing
Durham Region Health Department tests private well water for bacteria for free. Find a sample bottle location. For iron, hardness and minerals, book our free in-home test.
Sources: Oshawa/Whitby/Ajax Drinking Water System 2025 Annual Report · Bowmanville Drinking Water System 2025 Annual Report · Newcastle Drinking Water System 2025 Annual Report · Port Perry Drinking Water System 2025 Annual Report · Uxbridge Drinking Water System 2025 Annual Report.
Questions
Is Durham Region water hard?
Durham doesn't publish hardness figures. Its lakeshore towns draw from Lake Ontario, which measures 119 to 130 mg/L elsewhere in the GTA (hard), and its north Durham wells are typically harder.
Which Durham towns add fluoride?
Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Pickering and Courtice (the connected lake system) add fluoride. Bowmanville, Newcastle, Port Perry and Uxbridge don't, according to the Region's 2025 reports.
Free in-home water test
Find out what's in your water
We test your water at your home, show you what's in it, and recommend the system that fits.
- Free
- About 30 minutes
- No obligation