Small Drinking Water Systems Program Overview

1. Small Drinking Water Systems Program Overview Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Public Health Protection and Prevention Branch Environmental Health Section March 2010

2. Outline • Context of transfer of small drinking water systems • Overview of the program • Ongoing ministry support of public health units

3. Report of the Walkerton Inquiry, 2002 “While it is not possible to utterly remove all risk from a water system, the recommendations’ overall goal is to ensure that Ontario’s drinking water systems deliver water with a level of risk so negligible that a reasonable and informed person would feel safe drinking the water”

4. The Public Health Approach • Under the new risk-based approach, public health inspectors will conduct a site-specific risk assessment on every small drinking water system in the province • Based on the assessment, they will determine what owners and operators must do to keep their drinking water safe….. • This reflects a customized approach for each small drinking water system depending on the level of risk, rather than “one-size-fits-all “ requirements

5. SDWS Program Response to AWQI • Lab responsible for contacting operator, PHU and MOHLTC • PHI responds to AWQI • LRMA will collect AWQI information Directive Issued AWQI • Identify the system • Ensure it is under O.Reg.318/08 • Gather information about the system • Issue a SDWS ID# • Operator submits regulatory samples to lab • Operator required to submit at a frequency based on directive • Sample results uploaded to LRMA by private lab Identification Sampling Requirement Site Specific Risk Assessment Ongoing Monitoring • Required for each system • Results in a risk category and issuing a directive • Directives will include site specific requirements • PHI to monitor sampling requirements through LRMA • PHI follow up with non-compliant owner/operators Compliance Monitoring Other Inspections Outreach and Building Inventory • May be completed as a result of an AWQI, compliance issue, complaint or other reason • May result in a corrective action, directive or in providing information to the operator.

6. Types of drinking water systems included in the transfer? • Non-municipal seasonal residential system that • serve 6 or more private residences, or • have 6 or more service connections, and • operates with at least one annual 60 consecutive day gap within a calendar year • Examples include seasonal trailer parks, campgrounds, recreational camps

7. Types of drinking water systems included in the transfer? • Municipally owned sports facilities, parks, arenas, recreation centres • Privately owned resorts, marinas, churches, mosques • Food service premises • Places that operate primarily for the purpose of providing overnight accommodations to the traveling public such as motels, hotels, etc. • Where a service club or fraternal organization meets on a regular basis

8. General Requirements of Small Drinking Water Systems Reg’s • Notification of intention to supply water • Designating an operator • Sampling and testing • Treatment • Response to adverse test results and observations • Directives • Request for review

9. Site Specific Risk Assessments • Observations of the system components, equipment, distribution system, the site and the surrounding property • Reviewing documentation pertaining to the system such as owner’s manuals for equipment and well records. • Interviewing the owner / operator to determine experience and competencies in operating the small drinking water system • Reviewing historical water sample test results if available

10. Assessment using the Risk Categorization tool RCat applies a general questionnaire to determine the risk category of a small drinking water system: • Part 1 – General Information • Part 2 – Source • Part 3 – Treatment • Part 4 – Distribution • Part 5 – Flow Diagram • Part 6 – Grading System (Risk Category Main points and grading chart)

11. RCat and Risk Categorization Risk Category for Small Drinking Water System • High = Significant level of risk • Medium = Moderate level of risk • Low = Negligible level of risk .

12. Directive issued after completion of a site specific assessment • The directive is legally binding on the owner of the small drinking water system as well as any subsequent owner • Provides requirements for the safe operation of the drinking water system (sampling, treatment, operator training, etc) • The directive is in force for as long as the small drinking water system is in operation

13. Monitoring Compliance • Reviewing water sampling test results submitted to commercial laboratories • Lab results are uploaded into the Laboratory Results Management Application (LRMA) where they are monitored by the PHI • Response to adverse water quality incidents, complaints, inquiries • Integration with other responsibilities of the PHI

14. Ministry Support • Develop and maintain the regulations, standards, protocols and guidance documents for the consistent delivery of the program • Resource manual complete with all business processes, regulations, fact sheets, short-form wording, etc. • Fact sheets for owner/operators available on ministry website

15. Ministry Support IT systems support • The Risk categorization tool (RCat) • Laboratory Results Management Application (LRMA) Provide ongoing program and technical training

16. Ministry Support • Technical consulting firm available to PHI’s by phone, e-mail, portal. • Monthly teleconferences with PHI’s • Self learning modules and SME’s in the field proposed

17. Drinking Water Ontario

18. Contact / Questions Tony Amalfa, B.Sc., C.P.H.I.(C) Manager, Environmental Health Public Health Protection and Prevention Branch Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Public Health Division 5700 Yonge Street, 2nd Floor Toronto, Ontario M2M 4K5 Tel: (416) 327-7624 Email: Tony.Amalfa@ontario.ca