Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality - Summary Table

March 2006

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Table of Contents

• Membership of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water
• New, revised, reaffirmed and proposed guidelines
  • Table 1. New and revised guidelines
  • Table 2. Reaffirmed guidelines
  • Table 3. Proposed Guidelines
• Guidelines for microbiological parameters
  • Bacteriological guidelines
  • Protozoa
  • Viruses
  • Boil water advisories
  • Turbidity
• Guidelines for chemical and physical parameters
  • Table 4. Parameters with guidelines
  • Table 5. Parameters without numerical guidelines
  • Table 6. Parameters that have been archived
• Guidelines for radiological parameters
  • Table 7. Primary List of Radionuclides
  • Table 8. Secondary list of radionuclides

The Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality are published by Health Canada on behalf of the Federal–Provincial–Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW). This summary table is updated regularly and published on Health Canada's web site (www.healthcanada.gc.ca/waterquality). It supersedes all previous versions, as well as the published booklet of the Sixth Edition of the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.

These guidelines are based on current, published scientific research related to health effects, aesthetic effects, and operational considerations. Health-based guidelines are established on the basis of comprehensive review of the known health effects associated with each contaminant, on exposure levels and on the availability of treatment and analytical technologies. Aesthetic effects (e.g., taste, odour) are taken into account when these play a role in determining whether consumers will consider the water drinkable. Operational considerations are factored in when the presence of a substance may interfere with or impair a treatment process or technology (e.g., turbidity interfering with chlorination or UV disinfection) or adversely affect drinking water infrastructure (e.g., corrosion of pipes).

In general, the highest priority guidelines are those dealing with microbiological contaminants, such as bacteria, protozoa and viruses. Any measure taken to reduce concentrations of chemical contaminants should not compromise the effectiveness of disinfection.

Inquiries can be directed to: water_eau@hc-sc.gc.ca