Drinking Water
Quality Management Standard

As part of its broader mandate to review issues related to drinking water, the Council undertook a review of the draft Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS) that was posted on the Environmental Registry, on November 28, 2005.

In formulating its observations and recommendations on the draft DWQMS, the Council reviewed:

• Environmental Bill of Rights documentation
• Pertinent sections of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002
• Chapter 11 of the Part Two Report of the Walkerton Inquiry
• The Report of the Water Strategy Expert Panel (Watertight)
• ISO standards
• Comments from water associations in Ontario
• Presentations by Ministry of the Environment staff

Chapter 11 of the Part Two Report of the Walkerton Inquiry recommended the need for Ontario to have a standard for the management of municipal drinking water systems, and the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 incorporated those recommendations, including the requirement for Ontario to develop a quality management standard and the creation of an Accreditation Body to oversee that all Operating Agencies meet the requirements of the standard.

The Council transmitted its Drinking Water Quality Management Standard Advice Letter to the Minister of the Environment, on March 31, 2006, and felt that its recommendations would promote continuous improvement in the effective, efficient, and safe delivery of quality drinking water to Ontarians.

The Ministry of the Environment posted a Notice of Decision for Policy for the Drinking Water Quality Management Standard on the Environmental Registry on October 30, 2006