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 Outbreaks1980 - 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 Outbreaks1990 - 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 1998 Chilliwack

* Suspected Outbreaks

Organisms Responsible for Water Borne Disease Outbreaks in B.C.

Organisms No. of OubreaksCampylobacter 5Cryptosporidium 3Giardia 13Salmonella 2Toxoplasma 1Virus 1Unknown 3

Chemicals Responsible for Source Contamination in B.C.

Chemical No. of Incidents* Nitrates ? Arsenic 2 (natural) Petroleum 4 Salt 1 Algal Toxins 3 (natural) Turbidity 1000's

* No formal tracking system exists; data reflect personal observations of Barry Boettger

Suspected Contaminant Sources; Disease Outbreaks in B.C.

Source Community EffectedBeaver 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Health Act Safe Drinking Water Regulation (repealed) Sanitary Regulation

Drinking Water Protection Act (Passed 2001) 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: highlight public health focus streamline administration

Drinking Water Action Plan

Minister of Health ServicesProvincial Health Officer

ADMs Committeeon Drinking Water

Source to Tap Assessments

Assessment Response

andDrinking WaterProtection Plans

Data ManagementAnd Information

Systems

Research

Tap Water Standards and Treatment

Monitoring and Reporting

Training & Certification

Partnershipsand Community

Stewardship

Water Conservation

(Last presented May 2003)

Storage and DistributionInfrastructure

Drinking Water Protection Act

Act under the Ministry of Health Services

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

Provisions for system and source assessments

Drinking Water Protection Act

Passed in 2001 Amended in 2002Brought into force May 2003More refinement expected

harmonizing with groundwater regulations fees ticketing

Legislation – 2003Drinking Water Protection Act; Drinking Water

Protection Regulation 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

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 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: approvals and permitting monitoring and/or testing inspecting legal action (orders, ticketing, charging)

Progressive Enforcement

Terms and conditions on permitEducationAssistanceOrdersTicketsCharges/court

Role of Other Ministries

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 amendmentsRegulations under the Water ActAmendments to the Drinking Water

Protection Regulation Ministerial orders

Current ActivitiesSome funding to partners for information systems

and assessment tool implementation Identify small systems issues Improve Information Management CapacityEducate partners/stakeholdersCoordinate Ministry of Health Services, DWO and

Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection activitiesDefine needs from Operator Certification ProgramPolicy and Procedure Manual for DWOsProvincial 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

Shaun.peck@gems9.gov.bc.ca

www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/pho