Drinking Water Quality
No single government agency or organization is solely responsible for safe drinking water, rather various government agencies have responsibilities in different areas of water safety.
- NWT Drinking Water Sampling and Testing Requirements -Summary Table (PDF - 14.53 KB)
- Community Governments
- Health & Social Services
- Municipal and Community Affairs
- Public Works and Services
- Environment and Natural Resources
- Land and Water Boards
- Indian Affairs and Northern Development
- Health Canada
- Environment Canada
Community Governments
Community governments have the authority and responsibility to provide safe portable water to their residents.
In communities where the community government is the owner and operator of the water treatment facilities, then the community government will be responsible for the treatment and safety of the water supply in those operations. Responsibilities include treatment of water to meet the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, the submitting of water samples to a laboratory for bacteriological and chemical analysis, and maintaining records of raw water quality, finished water quality and the amounts of chemicals used in treatment.
Health & Social Services
The responsibility for ensuring safe drinking water is vested with the Government of the Northwest Territories, which has passed specific public health legislation designed to ensure the safety of drinking water supplies. Health is the regulator and is responsible for enforcing the Public Health Act, Public Water Supply Regulations, and General Sanitation Regulations as well as ensuring the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality are met.
Environmental Health Officers and Medical Health Officers, employed by the Department of Health and Social Services (and the H&SS Authorities), act as regulators to ensure safe drinking water.
The legislation covers a multi-barrier approach to ensure water safety. This includes source protection, water treatment (mandatory disinfection), good operation and maintenance of water supply systems, water sampling and monitoring programs, and appropriate abatement and enforcement measures. New water sources and treatment plants must receive health approval. In addition, Environmental Health Officers perform inspections of and review the operation of water treatment plants as well as monitor that the required water-sampling program is in place. If there is a problem with the drinking water quality, or the systems designed to ensure the safety of the drinking water supply, appropriate abatement action is ordered by the health authorities.
For more information contact the Environmental Health Offices in the NWT.
Municipal and Community Affairs
The role of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is to provide necessary funding for water infrastructure development, set standards for water system development, and to coordinate training and provide financial assistance for the training of water treatment plant officers operators. The Department is also responsible for the certification of water treatment plant operators.
For technical assistance, contact MACA's Senior Engineer at (867) 873-7538.
Public Works and Services
The major roles of the Department of Public Works and Services are:
- To provide management and technical support for the design and construction of infrastructures for water supply, treatment and distribution systems.
- To provide training and technical expertise in community water systems, and where applicable by contract or GNWT ownership, to operate water treatment plants and be responsible for the safety of the water supply in those operations.
- To deliver training and certification programs to WTP operators through Municipal and Community Affairs.
- To coordinate the safe drinking water initiatives.
For more information contact the Water and Sanitation Division at (867) 920-6142.
Environment and Natural Resources
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, along with similar federal agencies, is responsible to ensure that release of contaminants into the air, water and land are minimized, and environmental impacts associated with industrial and community development are assessed and minimized to protect the environment.
For more information contact your local Environment and Natural Resources Officer or the Environmental Protection Service at (867) 873-7654.
Land and Water Boards
These boards (Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, NWT Water Board, and others) regulate the taking of water and deposit of waste in accordance with the Northwest Territories Water Act.
Indian Affairs and Northern Development
The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) is responsible for the Northwest Territories Water Act. DIAND inspectors monitor compliance of water licenses issued by various land and water boards.
Health Canada
Although drinking water quality is a provincial / territorial responsibility, Health Canada undertakes research into the health aspects of contaminants, recommends drinking water quality criteria, and acts as the secretariat for the Federal Provincial Territorial Committee on Drinking Water which publishes the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.
Environment Canada
Environment Canada is responsible for the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.