GOVERNANCE

Commitment 5.4.2 – We will take further action to monitor drinking water quality as well as support community-based water monitoring programs.

Background:

In 2005, the departments of MACA, HSS, ENR, and PWS released Managing Drinking Water Quality in the Northwest Territories: A Preventative Framework and Strategy. Guided by the Strategy, the four departments coordinate through the NWT Drinking Water and Waste Water Interdepartmental Committee to support community governments with a broad range of water quality activities.

HSS is working to assess the public health implications of results generated by GNWT water monitoring programs. Information compiled by the Drinking Water Committee is published annually in the Annual Water Report (Milestone 1). The NWT Drinking Water Technical Committee is researching options and information requirements to develop a new database for drinking water quality information (Milestone 2).

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) provides programs, services and training to better enable community governments to handle a broad range of water quality activities.

Water treatment plants in the NWT are being upgraded to ensure all drinking water in the NWT meets the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. These upgrades are to meet filtration guidelines. Today, drinking water is treated in all communities to ensure a safe supply for residents, but improving filtration and reducing turbidity, or suspended sediment is one more step to ensure safe drinking water.

The Circuit Rider training program uses MACA staff to directly train and support community governments in the operation of water plants. One-on-one delivery of course material is also provided to operators upon request, making use of northern experienced operations and government staff to provide community support. Community governments are targeted for three visits annually. The program focuses on achieving results in the following areas:

• improvement of operator(s) competency,
• supporting operator(s) in achieving certification,
• improvement in water supply operations,
• improvement in water supply sampling, testing and records, and
• developing operations and maintenance plans for water supply systems.

Links to Other Government Activities:

The Departments of MACA, HSS, ENR, and PWS work collectively to support community governments with a broad range of water quality activities. Information about NWT drinking water is available at www.nwtdrinkingwater.ca.

For more information about this initiative, please contact the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs.