Clean drinking water is a basic human right and a cornerstone of health, development and prosperity. But behind the readily available water lies a tremendous effort to ensure its quality.
How Safe and Clean is Ontario’s Water?
According to Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks David Piccini’s annual report on drinking water in 2022, an astonishing 99.9% of over 519,000 drinking water tests from municipal residential drinking water systems met Ontario’s stringent quality standards in 2021–2022.
Simcoe County in Ontario has the purest water known to science. Scientists like Bill Shotyk have been testing the groundwater there for three decades and determined that it is cleaner than any other water sample from all around the world.
Lake Simcoe © Gerard Caroll
What Efforts Have Been Made to Keep Ontario’s Water Clean?
Our province might have nature’s blessings of the cleanest groundwater, but the safety of our water supply doesn’t just happen by chance. Strong regulations, such as the Clean Water Act 2006 and the Drinking Water Source Protection Program, are in place to ensure that Ontarians do not have to turn to bottled water.
Courtice waterfront, Lake Ontario © Kelsea McKenna
The measures implemented by different municipalities to meet or exceed the provincial regulations may vary. For example, in Toronto, tap water undergoes safety testing every six hours to maintain the highest standards.
Never Take Clean Water for Granted
Lake of the Woods © Allan Lorde CC BY-NC 2.0
However, it is important to recognize that some communities in Ontario do not have access to clean drinking water. For example, in Ontario there are 19 Indigenous communities living under long-term water boil advisories. What exacerbates the situation is that human activities, from mining in northern Ontario to increased water vehicle activity, continue to pose a significant threat to our precious water.
Protecting natural resources is a collective responsibility, and everyone can play a part. Here are some steps you can take in your daily lives to help conserve Ontario’s water sources:
Properly and regularly maintain your septic system to prevent groundwater contamination.
Choose for eco-friendly alternatives to commercial fertilizers, pesticides, household cleaners and road salts to reduce harmful runoff.
Store fuel tanks with drip trays to prevent leaks that could contaminate nearby water sources.
Reduce your water consumption at home by eating less meat, taking shorter showers, turning off the tap when its not in use, washing only full loads of laundry, etc.
Dispose of hazardous waste and medications at designated facilities to prevent chemical contamination.
Potential Regulatory Loophole
Unfortunately, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is now considering exemptions from licensing requirements for certain waste management systems, stormwater management, and water-taking activities. This is a potential threat to our water sources because, if implemented, the new measure will weaken regulatory oversight essential for water source protection and allow activities harmful to the environment and human health.
The Canadian Environmental Law Association has launched an action alert about this issue and its potential impacts.
Resources
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