Fact Sheet
Improving Water Quality On-reserve
New Protocol for Safe Drinking Water in First Nations Communities

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The new protocol for drinking water on-reserve is available to every First Nation. It’s goal is to set standards for drinking water on-reserve, in accordance with established federal or provincial standards, whichever are the more stringent. The protocol has been developed using the water quality criteria set out in Health Canada’s Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality and will ensure that standards are followed until a federally legislated regulatory regime is in place.

Protocol for Safe Drinking Water in First Nations Communities is intended for use by First Nations staff responsible for water systems. It is also intended for use by Government of Canada staff, and all others involved in providing advice or assistance to First Nations in the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and monitoring of their drinking water systems.

The Protocol will improve drinking water quality by putting effective safeguards in place at each stage of a drinking water system. The requirements include:

• Protection of source water;
  
• Water treatment requirements tailored to each specific system;
  
• Distribution system requirements;
  
• Monitoring requirements, maintained through on-going testing of waterquality and system performance;
  
• System design requirements (e.g., building codes) for treatment plants, distribution systems, and trucked water systems;
  
• Quality assurance including annual third-party inspections;
  
• Operator certification to the level set by provincial requirements for the classification of the system they operate; and
  
• Public reporting of monitoring results.

To ensure these standards are followed, this protocol will be included as part of funding agreements between the Government of Canada and First Nations. In addition, Public Works and Government Services Canada, on INAC’s behalf, will provide professional and technical advice to help First Nations design, build, operate, and maintain their water systems.

This clear protocol will provide a proper basis for the Government’s accountability and that of First Nations.

March 21, 2006