Description:
Canada's drinking water standards are guided by federal Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ), developed by Health Canada, but these are voluntary and non-enforceable; provinces and territories set and enforce their own legally binding regulations. The Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality are established by Health Canada in collaboration with the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW) and other federal government departments. Health Canada publishes the guidelines and other information on the website Drinking water quality in Canada. Health Canada updates this document regularly. Each guideline was established based on current, published scientific research related to health effects, aesthetic effects, and operational considerations. Guidelines (maximum acceptable concentrations or treatment goals) are based on a comprehensive review of the known health effects associated with each substance, on exposure levels and on the availability of treatment and analytical technologies.
