Who is responsible for water and wastewater services in First Nations communities?

Responsibility for providing water and wastewater services to First Nations is shared among Band Councils, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), Health Canada and Environment Canada.

First Nations

• Own, manage and operate water and wastewater services
• Monitor water and waste water systems
• Design and construct facilities in accordance with established standards
• Issue Drinking Water Advisories, typically on the recommendation of Health Canada, or on their own initiative in emergency situations

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC)

• Provides funding and advice regarding design, construction, operation and maintenance of water and wastewater facilities
• Reviews designs in collaboration with Health Canada and Environment Canada
• Sets standards through protocols
• Provides funding for training staff such as water treatment plant operators

AANDC also helps to protect water quality in Canada's North and is responsible for the management of water resources in and around Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The Government of Yukon is responsible for Yukon water resources.

Health Canada

• Ensures that monitoring programs for drinking water quality are in place on-reserve south of 60°
• Helps First Nation communities identify potential drinking water quality problems
• Provides advices, guidance and recommendations to First Nation communities about drinking water safety and safe disposal of on-site domestic sewage
• Verifies monitoring of the overall quality of drinking water at tap, and reviews, interprets and disseminates results to First Nations
• Reviews First Nation water and wastewater infrastructure project proposals from a public health perspective

Environment Canada

• Regulates treatment of wastewater discharged to receiving waters
• Provides advice and guidance on source water protection and sustainable water use