Transcript Drinking Water Source Protection

BC’s Drinking Water Action
Plan
Dr Shaun Peck
Deputy Provincial Health Officer
Ministry of Health Services
Some Drinking Water Facts
Approximately 3000 operational water
systems in B.C.
B.C. has one of the highest reported
incidences of intestinal illness in Canada
28 Waterborne Disease Outbreaks (‘80-’04)
Currently more than 330 ‘Boil Water
Advisories’
Waterborne Disease Outbreaks
1980 - 1990
1980
Nakusp
1987
Black Mountain
1981
100 Mile House
1987
Kamloops
1982
Kimberley
1988
Near Lytton
1984
Chilliwack
1990
Kitimat
1985
Creston
1990
Creston
1986
Penticton
1990
Fernie
1986
Penticton
1990
West Trail/Rossland
Waterborne Disease Outbreaks
1990 - 2004
1990
Matsqui
1995
Revelstoke
1991
Barriere
1996
Cranbrook
1991* Granisle
1996
Kelowna
1991* Fort Fraser
1996
Valemount
1992
Kaslo
1997
Princeton
1993
Ski hill near Fernie 1998
Camp Malibu
1995
Victoria
Chilliwack
* Suspected Outbreaks
1998
Organisms Responsible for Water
Borne Disease Outbreaks in B.C.
Organisms
Campylobacter
Cryptosporidium
Giardia
Salmonella
Toxoplasma
Virus
Unknown
No. of Oubreaks
5
3
13
2
1
1
3
Chemicals Responsible for Source
Contamination in B.C.
Chemical
Nitrates
Arsenic
Petroleum
Salt
Algal Toxins
Turbidity
No. of Incidents*
?
2 (natural)
4
1
3 (natural)
1000's
* No formal tracking system exists; data reflect personal observations of Barry Boettger
Suspected Contaminant Sources;
Disease Outbreaks in B.C.
Source
Community Effected
Beaver
Creston, Penticton, Revelstoke
Cougars/Cats
Victoria
Other Wildlife
Kitimat, Valemount
Cattle
Fernie ski hill, Cranbrook
Human
Princeton, Kelowna
Water Main Break
Chilliwack
Drinking Water Legislation
 Health Act
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Safe Drinking Water Regulation (repealed)
Sanitary Regulation
 Drinking Water Protection Act (Passed 2001)
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Drinking Water Protection Regulation (May
2003)
Potential for Future Regulations
Drinking Water Action Plan
 Builds on Provincial Health Officer’s 2000
Annual Report and Auditor General’s 1999
Report on source water protection
 Independent panel appointed to review
unproclaimed Drinking Water Protection
Act, all 2001
 Recent amendments intended to:
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highlight public health focus
streamline administration
Source to Tap
Assessments
Storage
and Distribution
Infrastructure
Assessment
Response
and
Drinking Water
Protection Plans
Data Management
And Information
Systems
Drinking Water
Action Plan
Minister of Health Services
Provincial Health Officer
Monitoring
and Reporting
Water
Conservation
(Last presented May 2003)
ADMs Committee
on Drinking Water
Tap Water Standards
and Treatment
Training
& Certification
Research
Partnerships
and Community
Stewardship
Drinking Water Protection Act

Act under the Ministry of Health Services
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Governs drinking water from the source to the tap,
rather than focusing on treatment and distribution
• more clearly articulates source protection

Water supply operations and reporting
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Provisions for system and source assessments
Drinking Water Protection Act
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Passed in 2001
Amended in 2002
Brought into force May 2003
More refinement expected
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harmonizing with groundwater regulations
fees
ticketing
Legislation – 2003
 Drinking Water Protection Act; Drinking Water
Protection Regulation
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Requires construction approval
Requires operating permits
May place conditions on an operating permit
Required minimum treatment levels
Specifies water quality standards
Requires public notification of water quality problems
Requires an emergency response plan
May require a system assessment
May require an assessment response plan (cross connection
control)
Requires certified operators
Drinking Water Protection Act
Challenging drinking water officer decisions
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No right of appeal to court or the EAB
Reconsideration of decision by drinking water
officer
Review of record by Provincial Health Officer or
medical health officer
Ombudsman
Judicial review
Microbiological Standards
Microbiological contamination is the key risk
driver in B.C.
Tap water must comply with the microbiological
schedule of the Drinking Water Protection
Regulation
Sampling frequency is established by Schedule B
of the Drinking Water Protection Regulation
Chemical Variables
Chemical contamination can interfere with
treatment, cause health concerns or results in loss
of source
Chemicals to monitor for vary with the individual
waterworks
Sampling procedures and frequency can be
established by the drinking water officer
Role of water supplier
 Provide safe drinking water in accordance
with the Act and Regulations
 Meet conditions that are part of the
operating permit.
 Prepare an assessment of the drinking water
system
 May be required to prepare an assessment
response plan
Drinking Water Officer (DWO)
 Delegated by the Medical Health Officer
(MHO)
 Comparable to Public Health
Inspector/Environmental Health Officer,
Public Health Engineer, and/or MHO
 Minimum of 1 drinking water officer per
region (hopefully 20 in B.C.)
 Defaults to an existing MHO
Role of the DWO employed by Health
Authorities
 Provide regulatory oversight of water suppliers,
educate and identify priority areas for
improving safety of water systems
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system assessments
priority setting
site-specific assessment response plans
 (everything the public health engineer and
public health inspector do today…plus more)
Role of the DWO employed by Health
Authorities
 Undertake other means necessary to
safeguard water quality and public health
such as:
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approvals and permitting
monitoring and/or testing
inspecting
legal action (orders, ticketing, charging)
Progressive Enforcement
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Terms and conditions on permit
Education
Assistance
Orders
Tickets
Charges/court
Role of Other Ministries
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multiple land use planning functions
data collection & management
research
road construction
water allocation
subdivision approval
Protection of Ground Water
Future Directions of the new
regulatory framework
 Water Act amendments
 Regulations under the Water Act
 Amendments to the Drinking Water
Protection Regulation
 Ministerial orders
Current Activities
 Some funding to partners for information systems
and assessment tool implementation
 Identify small systems issues
 Improve Information Management Capacity
 Educate partners/stakeholders
 Coordinate Ministry of Health Services, DWO and
Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection activities
 Define needs from Operator Certification Program
 Policy and Procedure Manual for DWOs
 Provincial drinking water officer
Provincial Health Officers Annual
Report on Drinking Water
Required by the Drinking Water Protection
Act to report on Activities.
Dr Shaun Peck,
Deputy Provincial Health Officer
[email protected]
www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/pho