Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
www.aandc-aadnc.gc.ca
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Fact Sheet
Improving Water Quality On-reserve
Roles and Responsibilities
Providing clean, safe drinking water to First Nations communities is a top priority for the Government of Canada. Providing water services to First Nations communities is a shared responsibility among First Nation Band Councils, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Health Canada, Environment Canada, Tribal Councils, Provinces, and Territories.
First Nations
First Nations, through their Chief and Council, are responsible for the
design, construction, operation and maintenance of their water systems.
They must also maintain effective sampling and testing programs to continuously
monitor drinking water quality so their residents have clean, safe, and
reliable drinking water. First Nations will ensure that their water and
wastewater systems are operated by trained operators, and that all operators
are certified, or work directly under a certified operator, by the end
of 2006. In addition to having a regular operator, First Nations also
ensures that a back-up operator is trained and available to replace the
regular operator when necessary.
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)
INAC provides funding to First Nations for the above activities. INAC
also facilitates agreements for services shared between reserves and municipalities
and funds training for First Nation operators. Technical advice related
to water systems is provided to INAC by Public Works and Government Services
Canada (PWGSC). In concert with our partners, INAC has developed the new
Protocol for Safe Drinking Water in First Nations Communities
and will monitor compliance.
Health Canada
Health Canada works in partnership with First Nations communities to ensure
drinking water quality monitoring programs are in place, as per the Guidelines
for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. These programs include testing,
sampling drinking water quality, and reviewing and communicating results.
Health Canada also supports and trains community-based drinking water quality monitors for sampling and testing. The department interprets these results and looks into potential problems, gives advice and makes recommendations to First Nations communities and federal partners, such as INAC. Health Canada also develops community-based education and awareness programs on drinking water issues. In First Nations communities where Environmental Health Programs are transferred, the First Nation is responsible for monitoring drinking water quality.
March 21, 2006
