Index

Water Pollution

• Drinking water

• Wastewater

• Lake Ontario

Because of the nature of water, it can be very difficult to locate a source of water contamination. It may also be difficult to identify a contaminant because of the limitation of testing equipment and the large number of contaminant possibilities. It is important to safeguard our water for our health and the health of our environment.  

See Scorecard's  Leading Sources of Water Quality Impairment

Urban Nonpoint Source Pollution in the Great Lakes 2002 International Association for Great Lakes Research

Drinking Water

Drinking Water Systems are regulated in Ontario under O.Reg. 170/03 (for municipal and private systems) and O. Reg. 252/05 (non-residential and seasonal residential systems). The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has general oversight over water systems, although public health will eventually be charges with monitoring the non-residential and seasonal residential systems.  In the wake of Walkerton, all public water systems must regularly test for E. coli and fecal coliform. Municipal and private water systems serving "year-round residential developments and designated facilities that serve vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly" are subject to further testing for additional contaminants. Privately owned wells are the responsibility of home owners and regular water testing is highly recommended, (Fact Sheet for Private Wells). 

Drinking Water Systems are regulated in Ontario under O.Reg. 170/03 and O. Reg. 252/05. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has general oversight over water systems, although public health may be car  municipal and private water systems that supply water "to "  Non-residential and seasonal residential drinking water systems are regulated under  All these water systems must now be regularly tested for E. coli and fecal coliform. Municipal and private water systems must also test for additional contaminants. Privately owned wells continue to be the responsibility of home owners and may pose health risks to unwary consumers. Regular water testing is highly recommended, (Fact Sheet for Private Wells). 

Halton Water Treatment manages the drinking water supply for most of Halton Region. Drinking Water Quality Reports for Halton are available online. Although there have been occasional exceedences of such things as sodium, lead, fluoride and fecal coliform - these problems have been quickly amended, (e.g. see individual water quality reports). Within Halton region a variety of water purification technologies are in place. As of 2004, Oakville and Milton use conventional processes using chlorine gas for primary disinfection. In Acton, Campbellville and Georgetown, ultra violate irradiation is used as primary disinfection with chlorine gas for secondary disinfection. In 2004, Burlington upgraded its facility and now uses an interesting purification process which relies on ozonation for primary disinfection with chlorine solution used for residual maintenance. Northern municipalities, Georgeton, Milton, Acton, Campbellville, draw groundwater from various aquifers.  Southern municipalities, Oakville and Burlington draw lake water

• See CAFOs for a discussion of farming and bacterial contamination
• See also the March 2005, Report on Smaller, Private Drinking Water Systems  recommending better monitoring of smaller systems and the transferring  of oversight to public health. 

Wastewater

"In Canada, most wastewater systems are owned and operated by municipalities. Much of the Canadian population is served by wastewater collection and treatment systems, however, wastewater receives various levels of treatment to remove pollutants prior to discharge, ranging from no treatment to very sophisticated, thorough treatment. As a result, wastewater quality and the amount of pollutants released to the environment vary across Canada." (Environment Canada Municipal Wastewater) For an overview of issues surrounding Municipal wastewater management see the 2001 report, "The State of Municipal Wastewater Effluents in Canada." 

The Ontario Ministry of Environment  sets and enforces regulation and standards by which all of Ontario's  wastewater must be managed. In the Great Lakes region, the provincial government must ensure compliance with the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (COA) agreement on Municipal Wastewater Treatment and the Great Lakes. Canada and Ontario and municipalities are charged with minimizing the impact of urban runoff, stormwater runoff, combined sewer overflow on the waters feeding the great lakes.  management systems that minimize lake water degradation. 

"In 1996, Halton Region initiated the Wastewater Treatment Facility Optimization Project ... to improve the environmental quality of wastewater released into the Hamilton Harbour." (Pollution Prevention Canadian Success Stories, Environment Canada). The municipality is working towards further improvements in their environmental releases. Currently, the National Pollution Release Inventory posts the following releases from Halton's Wastewater treatment facilities. 

The University of Waterloo provides a simple overview of waste water treatment.

Lake Ontario

The Great Lakes hold 20 percent of the world’s fresh water and supports diverse communities of plants and animals (at least 185 are designated rare and endangered species).  December 13, 2005--the Great Lakes Governors and Premiers today approved The Great Lakes Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement (the Agreement). This agreement is an attempt to safeguard the Great Lakes Water, (see also CBC News 3 Dec 2005 Cleaning up Great Lakes focus of $20 billion US plan).

This new agreement further supported in Canada by the Canada-Ontario Agreement (COA) - a federal-provincial agreement that supports the restoration and protection of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem.  The Agreement also contributes to meeting Canada’s obligations under the Canada-United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Much information can be found on the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN) regarding water improvement efforts. 

Additional Links on Great Lakes efforts

• Lake Ontario Shoreline Algae Action Committee 
• 1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and modified in 1983 (phosphorous reduction supplement)
• Council of Great Lakes Governors
• Priority Site Map Environmental Commissioner of Ontario
• Aquatic Ecosystem Management Research Branch Environment Canada

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