Ontario Multi Barrier Approach

 Source water refers to untreated surface water from lakes and rivers and groundwater aquifers from which we get the water to supply drinking water systems. All of these sources of water are linked in a watershed through the water cycle. Drinking water sources can be easily contaminated from a variety of activities performed on the landscape. Long-term problems can develop that are costly or even impossible to correct. Source water protection is about protecting these water sources from both contamination and depletion, ensuring a long-term supply of clean water for future generations. Today, Ontario has a comprehensive drinking water protection framework from source to tap. After the tragic events of 2000 in Walkerton, Ontario a public inquiry was held. Justice O’Connor made 121 recommendations on a wide range of areas related to protecting drinking water. These recommendations became the building blocks of Ontario’s drinking water protection framework.

There is a Compliance and Enforcement regulation of the Safe Drinking Water Act. This regulation sets out responsibilities of the provincial government to be legally accountable for its oversight role in protecting drinking water. These responsibilities include:

• Inspecting all municipal residential drinking water systems annually;
• Ensuring at least one out of three inspections of each municipal residential drinking water system is unannounced;
• Inspecting all licensed and eligible laboratories a minimum of twice a year and ensuring that at least one inspection is unannounced; and
• Reporting on any requests from the public asking for an investigation of an alleged contravention of the Safe Drinking Water Act or any of its regulations.

In Ontario, all municipal residential drinking water systems are inspected at least once a year. During an inspection, the inspector evaluates requirements such as the operation of the treatment system, policy
and procedures, sampling and monitoring, operator certification, reporting and corrective actions. In 2018-19, the ministry inspected all 659 systems.

Each system is assigned an inspection rating that reflects how well the system complied with requirements. Of the 659 inspections conducted in 2018-19, 656 or 99.5% received an inspection rating greater than 80%, with 477 or 72% scoring 100%.

In cases where the inspection identifies a problem, the inspector can work with the system owner to bring the system into compliance or issue an order that prescribes corrective actions within a certain timeframe

 

Ontario’s drinking water is carefully monitored through regular testing by certified operators who take thousands of drinking water samples every year which are tested at provincially licensed and eligible laboratories for microbiological organisms and chemical substances. Drinking water quality test results are a good way to demonstrate the quality of drinking water and provide ongoing evidence of a system’s ability to provide safe drinking water.

In Ontario, when systems have test results that do not meet standards, this often relates to microbiological and chemical exceedances. Corrective actions can include adjustments to treatment equipment or other operational activities. Successful implementation of these actions is often confirmed by resampling.

In 2018-19, 99.87% or 522,231 of the 522,921 drinking water test results from 661 municipal residential drinking water systems met the standards.

 A water distribution system is the network of pipes, valves, fire hydrants, storage tanks, reservoirs and pumping stations that carry water to customers. If a distribution system is poorly maintained, then clean, treated drinking water can easily become contaminated. Municipal drinking water system owners are required to maintain a consistent level of disinfectant throughout the distribution system and in plumbing connected to the distribution system, to act as a barrier against contamination. This helps to protect water from microbiological re-contamination, reduce bacterial regrowth, control biofilm formation, and serves as an indicator of the integrity of the distribution system. Testing is also conducted within the distribution system to check the conveyance of safe drinking water.

Safe and abundant drinking water is one of the key pillars of public health in Ontario. Ensuring that Ontarians, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographic location, have access to safe drinking water is essential to the health of our population. Protection of our drinking water is a vital responsibility shared by many partners.

More than 80% of Ontario’s population receives their drinking water from a municipal drinking water system.

Municipalities own or have water supplied to them through, various types of drinking water systems. In his inquiry report of the Walkerton tragedy, Justice O’Connor also recommended the adoption of quality management for municipal drinking water systems. As a result, the comprehensive Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS) is mandated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and provides a proactive and preventative approach to management strategies that identify and manage risks to public health. It supports the establishment and documentation of management procedures, clearly identifying roles and responsibilities; and allows for a continual improvement process. These form part of the multi-barrier approach in Ontario.

There are two main types of non-municipal drinking water systems: non-municipal year-round drinking water systems and designated facilities. For more information about these systems, please visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/rules-non-municipal-drinking-water-systems

There are also laws around private wells on properties, including how to maintain a well, and how to properly close it. Read more at: https://www.ontario.ca/page/wells-your-property

The watershed-based approach recommended by Justice O’Conner begins with protecting our precious sources of drinking water. This is a shared responsibility, and all of our actions matter.