1
Test kit
estimate, confirm with a lab testA test of your own well comes before any equipment. Test for coliform bacteria.
Water testing Ontario • 2,287 Registered Wells
Manitoulin Water Well Depth & Hydrogeology
Regional groundwater summary • Ontario Historical Log Extraction
Bottom Line Up Front
In Manitoulin, the median completed well is 94 ft deep.
A published hardness range for this place and aquifer is under 60 to above 180 mg/L as CaCO₃. That is a regional estimate, not a test of your well. Source: Estimate based on Health Canada hardness bands.
Most production draws from Limestone (about 85% of local wells).
These municipal aggregates support planning only — they do not replace an accredited laboratory potability test for your own well.
Interactive Well Depth & Modeled Typical Strata
Drag the indicator line or tap a stratum below to read the recorded depth range
Drilling in: Sand & Gravel Aquifer (18–400+ ft)Glacial Drift Aquifer
Modelled Depth
94 FT
Area median
Drilling cost
$6,580–$14,100
Estimate
Published hardness
under 60 to above 180 mg/L as CaCO₃
0 ft (Surface)Median 94 ft400 ft (Deep)
Topsoil & Surficial Organics
Sand & Gravel Aquifer
Sand & Gravel Aquifer
Modeled typical strata:
Modeled typical strata — placeholder from median depth + aquifer type; not local driller logs.
Well Statistics
Local measurements compared against Ontario provincial benchmarks.
Total Registered Wells 2,287
Median Well Depth 94 ft
ON benchmark: 103 ft provincial median
Average Well Depth 100.1 ft
Dominant Aquifer Limestone
Hardness under 60 to above 180 mg/L as CaCO₃ — Estimate. Estimate based on Health Canada hardness bands
Drilling cost $6,580–$14,100 — Estimate. Typical drilling prices in Canada, about $70–$150 per foot
Domestic Household Use 86% of wells
| Hydrogeological Metric | From the registry or a cited study | ON Provincial Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Total Registered Wells | 2,287 | — |
| Median Well Depth | 94 ft | 103 ft provincial median |
| Average Well Depth | 100.1 ft | — |
| Dominant Aquifer | Limestone | — |
| Hardness | under 60 to above 180 mg/L as CaCO₃ — Estimate. Estimate based on Health Canada hardness bands | — |
| Drilling cost | $6,580–$14,100 — Estimate. Typical drilling prices in Canada, about $70–$150 per foot | — |
| Domestic Household Use | 86% of wells | — |
Where This Report Applies
Approximate boundary of Manitoulin
Shaded area is an approximate municipal outline for orientation only. Well records are aggregated across the entire Manitoulin.
Depth Distribution
Most completed wells fall near the median depth of 94 ft.
0–49 ft 13.8% · 315
49–98 ft 37.7% · 863
98–148 ft 35% · 800
148–197 ft 8.4% · 192
197–295 ft 4.7% · 107
295–394 ft 0.3% · 8
394–591 ft 0% · 1
591+ ft 0% · 1
Median depth of 94 ft falls inside the reported range. Deeper completions here usually mean higher mineral content but steadier year-round pressure.
Aquifer Composition
Bedrock and drift aquifers recorded by drillers in this area. Recorded for 2,278 of these 2,287 wells.
Carbonate Bedrock (Limestone / Dolomite) Primary Bedrock Aquifer
85.3% 1,950 of 2,287 Major regional bedrock aquifer formed by Ordovician/Silurian dolomite. Known for reliable, high-volume yields with elevated mineral hardness and dissolved calcium/magnesium carbonates.
Sedimentary Shale Formation Fractured Shale Aquifer
8.7% 200 of 2,287 Fractured sedimentary shale formation (including Odanah / Pierre members). Characterized by high total dissolved solids (TDS) and potential sulfur/iron compounds.
Precambrian Crystalline Bedrock (Granite) Crystalline Bedrock Aquifer
2.1% 48 of 2,287 Crystalline Canadian Shield rock. Yields soft, slightly acidic water with minimal dissolved solids, relying on secondary fracture networks for groundwater storage.
Sand & Gravel Aquifer Glacial Drift Aquifer
2% 46 of 2,287 Shallow to intermediate glacial drift aquifer deposited in alluvial channels or outwash plains. Yields softer water but requires continuous sediment filtration and shallow bacterial monitoring.
Glacial Lacustrine Clay & Silt Confining Aquitard
1% 24 of 2,287 Impermeable glaciolacustrine clay and silt deposits formed in ancient glacial lakes. Acts as an effective regional aquitard confining underlying aquifers.
Sandstone Bedrock Formation Basal Bedrock Aquifer
0.4% 10 of 2,287 Deep basal sandstone bedrock unit (including Winnipeg Formation). Supplies exceptionally stable yields; often exhibits moderate mineral hardness with silica-rich water.
380 holes found no usable water. test holes, observation or monitoring wells, dewatering wells, decommissioned wells, dry holes, no-aquifer holes, and other non-supply wells filtered out of the headline
Water Quality Profile
A published hardness range, when one exists for this place and aquifer. Not a test of your well.
Estimate
under 60 to above 180 mg/L as CaCO₃
Estimate. Estimate based on Health Canada hardness bands. Regional estimate, not a test of your well.
Health Canada. Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Operational Parameters.
No measured government test within 25 km. Test your water.
Soft (<60) Med (61–120) Hard (121–180) V. hard (>180)
USGS (2018) bands reprinted by Health Canada. A range can cross more than one band. This is not a sample.
What this is not
- Not a laboratory result for a well on your property.
- Not a reason to size a softener. Size equipment from a lab test.
- Not a drilling quote. A cost line on this page is a national estimate, not a price for one well.
Health Canada has not set a maximum acceptable concentration for hardness. A wide published range can sit in more than one USGS band.
Drilling Activity
Historical permit and construction activity by decade.
Pre-1970 574 wells
1970s 213 wells
1980s 151 wells
1990s 370 wells
2000s 422 wells
2010s 291 wells
2020s 243 wells
48% of dated wells are over 30 years old (pre-1995). Steel casing installed before 1995 can lose integrity over time. Any older well should get a casing inspection and a certified bacterial test before reliance.
Treatment
Size treatment from a laboratory test
This page does not turn a hardness range or a well depth into an equipment total, a grain capacity, or a drilling price. Read the methodology, the filtration guide, and the products catalog.
Suggested system
Suggested system for Manitoulin
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Iron and manganese filter
estimate, confirm with a lab testAn iron filter is worth considering because wells in this place draw from Limestone. This follows the aquifer type. Iron and manganese were not used from a monitoring-well test.
Iron and manganese guide Local Contractors
Licensed Water Well Drillers Serving Manitoulin
Because water wells in Manitoulin average 94 ft into limestone, contractors equipped with heavy rotary rigs and proper casing seals are recommended. Contact local drillers directly or request competitive bids.
Rhude Well Drilling
Yard: Greater Sudbury, ON (140.7 km away)
Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Sudbury Basin Bedrock Shield Granite Drilling Hydrofracturing
Drury Well Drilling Ltd.
Yard: Barrie, ON (254.1 km away)
Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Simcoe County Bedrock Residential Drinking Wells Pump Diagnostics
SD Hopper Drilling
Yard: Stratford, ON (285.9 km away)
Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Farm & Livestock Wells Domestic Well Drilling Downhole Camera
Jim Wilson Well Drilling Ltd.
Yard: Waterloo, ON (291.1 km away)
Confirm the contractor's provincial licence before you hire
Rotary Air & Mud Drilling Commercial High Yield Decommissioning
Looking for more regional well drillers?
Explore all registered water well contractors operating across ON.
Featured Contractor Spot
Are you a licensed well driller serving Manitoulin?
Claim your verified listing profile and be found by homeowners on this report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about water wells in Manitoulin.
What is the median well depth in Manitoulin?
Among 2287 producing water wells with a recorded depth, the median is 94.0 ft (28.65 m).
Adjacent Municipalities & Nearby Well Records
Explore neighbouring hydrogeological formations and compare drilling depths