Wells Regulation (O. Reg 903)
Review of Chlorination Requirements

On June 30, 2004, the Minister of the Environment formally asked the Council to provide advice on the disinfection (chlorination) requirement of Regulation 903 (Wells).

The Council decided to take on a broader review of this issue. As such, the scope of its advice was not limited exclusively to the concerns raised by the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) in their 2003 Environmental Bill of Rights Application for Review.

The overarching principle for our focus on this issue is that water from private drinking water wells needs to be verified to be microbiologically safe, prior to human consumption.

The Council heard from experts on wells and Regulation 903, including Ministry of the Environment staff, the Ontario Ground Water Association, and CELA; reviewed literature on disinfecting wells and; has drawn from our own Council members’ expertise in this area, and has discussed a variety of technical issues related to drinking water safety and practical applications for well disinfection.

The Council’s final Advice Letter on Regulation 903 was transmitted to the Minister of the Environment on June 16, 2005, and the Ministry of the Environment continues to develop amendments, taking into consideration the Council’s advice.

On March 22, 2007, the Ministry of the Environment announced proposed amendments to Regulation 903 (Wells) on the Environmental Registry.