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Advisory Info
Water.ca checks all official water advisory sources daily. We also monitor water alerts in the media throughout the day. The date posted on each provincial map indicates the latest advisory change for that province. Please note that there can be more than one advisory under a community name. The information is presented this way in order to keep the maps readable.
NOTE: Although we make every effort to maintain up-to-date advisory maps, errors/omissions are inevitable. If you have information about a boil water advisory that is not listed or on that has been rescinded while remaining on our maps, please email us and to let us know.
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First of all if you see your municipality listed, don't panic, very few advisories apply to an entire municipality. Secondly, read the specifics. Clicking on an individual button will tell you
precisely where the advisory is in effect, many times it is a single building or property, mostly on well systems. Thirdly, confirm the data with your municipality (ie at city hall).
NOTE:Specifics are always posted on water.ca when they are provided. However some jurisdictions report advisories without any specifics as to cause and location.
While "Do not Consume" red dots are clear,"Boil Water Advisories"(BWA- yellow dots) are often placed as a precautionary measure. They may indicate that a water system is undergoing maintenance
or that the disinfection system is not 100% functional. This does not imply that the drinking water is contaminated, rather it means that there are
compromises in the Multi-barrier Approach to drinking water safety that need to be addressed.
Whose Responsibility is it?
In Canada, various levels of government share the responsibility for ensuring safe drinking water.
Municipal governments are commonly the direct provider of drinking water. The provincial and
territorial governments have the main legislative responsibility for regulating the provision of safe
drinking water.
But the federal government has direct regulatory responsibility in First Nations communities (Health Canada, INAC), on
military bases, national parks, and federal facilities.
Federal government responsibility also extends to transportation conveyances (e.g., trains, planes and
ships) traveling outside a province. Sierra legal Fund- Waterproof 2
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Update
The information on this page is contained in Ecojustice's 2006 Waterproof 2 report. For a more in-depth guide to provincial and terrritorial drinking water, click on the images below.
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Transparency and Accountability
Each province has different standards of Accountability and Transparency regarding water testing and public notification.
While water.ca is in constant contact with public health officials in each province and terrritory, we are also building our own network of water stewards to ensure that no advisory is overlooked or unreported.
Water.ca Red Button Alerts are confirmed before being issued.
Below is a summary of the official water reporting practices in each province as reported by Waterproof 2. To view all comparative charts click here
Alberta
Water.ca Advisory Info
The new provincial health board, Alberta Health Services Board, has replaced Alberta's nine regional health authority boards. Boil water advisories are not posted online. Media advisories are the source of information
Transparency and Accountablity
Public reporting of water quality tests is not yet required, but action is underway to provide internet access to drinking water quality data. Disinfection equipment failures and adverse water quality tests must be reported. The Regional Health Authority Officer has the discretion to issue a boil water advisory to the public.
British Columbia
Water.ca Advisory Info
Advisory data is collected through the websites of all of the health units throughout the province. Most of the health units make new data available as quickly as the danger is known. Interior Health provides a list of water system notifications as information only. It is not linked to a live database and is updated quarterly.
Transparency & Accountablity
Routine water testing results must be reported to the provincial government where testing is required. Public notification of potential health threats must be provided by the drinking water officer.
Manitoba
Water.ca advisory info
The government of Manitoba shares its data with us as they get it.
Transparency & Accountablity
Current: No mandatory provisions requiring public reporting of water quality testing results, non-compliance incidents, or public reporting of emergencies. Proposed: According to Manitoba Water Stewardship, they have acquired software for a database and expect it to be operational this fiscal year. Emergencies and non-compliance will require immediate notification of the director, a medical officer, or a drinking water officer.
New Brunswick
Water.ca Advisory Info
The government of New Brunswick shares its data with us as they get it.
Transparency & Accountablity
There is no requirement for individual systems to provide public reporting. The provincial government does not produce an annual report regarding drinking water quality trends or testing results. According to the Department of Environment, the contracts for water systems require operators to maintain contingency plans and to notify the Department when emergencies occur.
Newfoundland & Labrador
Water.ca Advisory Info
The government of Newfoundland and Labrador publishes its data on a website, and is normally up to date.
Transparency & Accountablity
The Department of Environment and Conservation undertakes testing and produces annual and
quarterly reports. The test results on physical parameters, major ions, nutrients, and metals
are regularly provided to the public online. Boil water advisories are available online. To learn more about the regulatory criteria for the issuance of a boil water advisory please see the following link: Application of Standards for Bacteriological Quality of Public Drinking Water Supplies
Northwest Territories
Water.ca Advisory Info
The government of Northwest Territories publishes its data on a website, the information is up to date.
Transparency & Accountablity
There is no requirement for individual systems to provide public reporting and the territorial
government does not produce an annual report. There is a water quality database online, complete
with boil water advisories. However, there are no regulatory criteria specifying when boil water
alerts should be issued or the proper notification procedures.
Nova Scotia
Water.ca Advisory Info
The government of Nova Scotia usually updates its advisories once a week.
Transparency & Accountablity
There is no requirement for individual systems to provide public reporting and the provincial
government does not produce an annual drinking water report. If water quality standards are not
met, Nova Scotia Environment and Labour (NSEL) must be informed. If one or more of the criteria set out for boil water advisories is met, the owner has a duty to contact NSEL and initiate the advisory.
Nunavut
Water.ca Advisory Info
Nunavut does not currently have any water advisories.
Transparency & Accountablity
There is no requirement for individual systems to provide public reporting and the territorial
government does not produce an annual report. Online reporting is not available even though a
database is kept. However, there are no regulatory criteria specifying when boil water alerts should be issued or the proper notification procedures.
Ontario
Water.ca Advisory Info
Ontario no longer updates a public advisory site. The advisories listed on the provincial site have not been updated since October 2008. They remain on water.ca until further notice. Media advisories are the source of information.
Transparency & Accountablity
Annual reports are required and test results must be made available to the public. Additionally,
Ontario's Chief Drinking Water Inspector presented his first annual report in 2006. Details
of adverse water quality incidents are available online. Details of adverse water quality incidents are available
online. There are specific criteria for when adverse test results must be reported to the Ministry and
the medical officer of health and when public notices must be issued.
Prince Edward Island
Water.ca Advisory Info
PEI does not currently have any water advisories.
Transparency & Accountablity
Utilities are required to report water quality testing to consumers annually. The Department of
Environment, Energy, and Forestry is planning on producing annual reports and developing a water
quality database. There are no specific regulatory criteria specifying when boil water alerts should be
issued or the notification procedures for alerts.
Quebec
Water.ca Advisory Info
The government of Quebec maintains a public list of water advisories, which is updated frequently.
Transparency & Accountablity
Water suppliers must report violations of contaminant standards. Boil water alerts are
required in certain circumstances, and the procedure and public notification requirements
are legally binding. Regional reports are prepared by each of the public health directors and are
made public. Water testing results must be communicated electronically to government.
Saskatchewan
Water.ca Advisory Info
The government of Saskatchewan keeps a very up to date list on a public website, probably the most reliable among all the provinces.
Advisories are posted as either Precautionary Drinking Water
Advisories (PDWA) or Emergency Boil Water Orders (EBWO)
Transparency & Accountablity
Annual reports by the utilities must be given to consumers. An annual report prepared by
the department, as well as community specific reports are available online. In emergencies, the
minister has the discretion to issue a boil water advisory, issue an order suspending operation of
the waterworks, or take other appropriate action. Inspection reports are now available online.
Yukon Territory
Water.ca Advisory Info
There are no advisories currently in the Yukon.
Transparency & Accountablity
Current: Routine testing results and violations
of water quality standards must be reported to territorial officials. There is no requirement for the preparation of a right-to-know report. Citizens can obtain information through Environmental Health Services or their provider. There are no regulations regarding boil water advisories. Proposed: Environmental Health Services may choose to post or release testing information to the public.
The health officer has the discretion to issue a boil water advisory.
How to use the map:
- The default map that appears when you click on the map icon on the top toolbar, is a national map giving you the number of Boil Water Advisories in each province. Click Other Map Views if you wish to see the total number of Do Not Consume or Severe Water Shortages in each province. Maps showing Advisories in national and provincial Parks and Reserves will soon be available.
- Click your mouse on a province, for more information. A detailed provincial map will appear.
- Run your mouse over the yellow or red dots of the provincial map for information on specific water advisories.
- By clicking on a dot you will find out more specificly where and why the advisory was placed. To close the pop-up screen click on "Close".
- To return to the national map of Canada, click on "Return to National Map" at the bottom of the page.
Legend:
- Yellow Dot = Boil Water Advisory or Cautionary Measure
- Red Dot = Do Not Consume
- Purple Dot = Severe Water Shortage
The map is best experienced with the Mozilla Firefox browser, which you can download here:
Launch The Map
View Text Version
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