Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water - Thirty-First Meeting October 24-25, 2002, Ottawa, Ontario
5.0 Old/New Business
5.01 Lending Institutions and Guidelines (1996-08)
Members discussed and made suggestions for improving the revised version of the introduction to the Guidelines booklet. Members approved the text by consensus.
Decision/Action:
- Secretariat to make the final wording changes as requested by members.
- Item dropped.
5.02 Survey of Provincial Regulations (1998-04)
D. Ellison walked members through the information included in the agenda package. He noted that new Acts, regulations, and standards have been added to database.
Decision/Action:
- Members to provide CWWA and the Secretary with information on new Acts or regulations in their jurisdictions (on-going).
- For future meetings, this subject will be discussed under "Drinking Water Databases (1998-04)".
5.03 Guidance Documents (2001-06)
W.Robertson gave an update on the "Source to Tap" and "Intake to Tap" documents as well as the supporting technical documents. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment - Water Quality Task Group is preparing its supporting document on the Source to Intake side and wants a joint document to be ready in early November so it may be sent out for consultation. CCME Ministers are looking for one combined technical Source to Tap document in the spring. The Secretariat will set up a conference call with both working groups to discuss a timeline and approach for moving forward.
Decision/Action:
- W.Robertson to arrange conference call for CDW working group and CCME WQTG for week of October 28, 2002.
- Secretary to distribute all supporting technical documents to members for review by November 29, 2002.
N. Levac gave a presentation on the National Guide to Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure and the best practices related to potable water in the distribution system. The National Research Council is interested in working with the CDW on developing technical best practices. A listing of all the groups is on the website
(www.infraguide.ca). D.Green has been proposed as an observer on the potable water technical committee. As draft documents are prepared and go to consultation, they will be sent to CDW members for comment.
Decision/Action:
- Members to advise N. Levac of their interest in participating on the potable water technical committee or a specific guide working group as noted in the agenda package by November 8, 2002.
5.04 ISO Standard (2001-10)
D. Ellison walked members through the report of the delegation that attended the International Standards Organisation meeting recently held in Paris, France. The ISO Advisory Group coordinates four groups - terminology (ad hoc); service to customers; drinking water supply systems management (which Canada is co-chairing with Malaysia), and wastewater. A technical meeting for the drinking water supply systems management group is tentatively scheduled to be held in September 2003 in either Ottawa or Toronto. Local perspectives on issues are brought to the committee through the designation of experts to the Canadian Advisory Committee.
Decision/Action:
- Members to advise D.Ellison of their interest in participating in the Canadian Advisory Committee (or of interest of their colleagues) by November 29, 2002.
- Secretary to arrange fall 2003 CDW meeting to coincide with ISO technical committee meeting.
5.05 Pharmaceuticals in Water (2001-10)
F.Lemieux gave an update on research related to pharmaceuticals in water including the development of a pilot study. Health Canada's Health Products and Foods Branch is looking at dealing with pharmaceuticals from cradle to grave and has some funds for doing some monitoring. Health Canada, the National Water Research Institute of Environment Canada and Ontario are working together on a study being conducted in Ontario for pharmaceuticals. Other studies and communications issues were also discussed.
Decision/Action:
- D.Rocan to send Secretary the link to the paper from Australia, for distribution to members by November 8, 2002.
- Secretariat to keep members informed about the status of research and studies and to report back at the next meeting.
5.06 EMS Drinking Water Database (2001-10)
A.Socha gave a brief presentation on the database/report on standards, guidelines, etc, around the world. A.Socha asked members to consider taking over the updating of the database in the future. D. Rocan noted that at the next meeting he will have a demonstration of Manitoba's database (developed in conjunction with a few other jurisdictions) and that it would be good to harmonize data with other surveys.
- Secretary to draft a letter for chair to sign requesting an electronic copy of the database to Pat Lachmaniuk, manager of water standards section (Ontario) by November 29, 2002.
- For future meetings, this subject will be discussed under "Drinking Water Databases (1998-04)".
5.07 Walkerton Report - Part II (2002-04)
D. Green referred members to the draft CDW response to Section 5 of the Walkerton Inquiry Report, Part II. Members discussed how the work of the CDW could be made more transparent, noting problems with public perception. A small group was formed to develop a strategic plan to deal with public pressures and possibly review the CDW's role. Members decided to hold off on preparing a response to CEOH about the Walkerton recommendations. Members agreed to let the Secretariat post their email addresses on the website along with the minutes. A question was raised about whether a summary of the recommendations from both the Walkerton and North Battleford inquiries would be useful.
Decision/Action:
- Secretariat to post member email addresses on the website along with the minutes.
- P.Lemay to circulate ideas to the Working Group to start the discussion by November 8, 2002.
- B.Boettger to send BC's list of recommendations to the Secretary by November 29, 2002.
- Working Group to prepare a discussion paper and possibly meeting activity by March 21, 2003.
- For future meetings, this subject will be discussed under "Committee Transparency."
5.08 MUD Survey (2002-10)
L. Lefrancois from Environment Canada gave a presentation on the National Water Issues Branch's Municipal Water Use and Pricing Database and Survey. This group is working towards building an annual survey. The next survey will be sent out to municipalities electronically (by e-mail).
Decision/Action:
- L. Lefrancois to provide a list of communities that will be participating in the survey, broken down by province or territory, for the Secretariat to distribute to members, by November 29, 2002.
- For future meetings, this subject will be discussed under "Drinking Water Databases (1998-04)."
5.09 Lead 210 (2002-10)
D. Briggins gave members some background information on the reason Nova Scotia is now testing for radionuclides. He noted there is a fact sheet and press release rela ted to this issue. P.Wall gave a presentation on the situation in the province.
Decision/Action:
5.10 Radiological Quality (2002-10)
D.Meyerhof gave a presentation on Health Canada's proposed revision of the radiological guidelines. She noted that radionuclides are a groundwater issue rather than a surface water concern and that her federal-provincial-territorial committee would like to make a more dynamic link to the CDW.
Decision/Action:
- Members to provide the Secretariat with exposure data related to radionuclides in their jurisdictions for distribution to D.Meyerhof by January 6, 2003.
- For future meeting, this subject will be discussed under Item 4.0, Parameters - Chemical and Radiological .
5.11 Federal Water Quality Activities
V. Morisset introduced Health Canada's Water Quality and Health Bureau's Policy and Outreach Section staff. She then presented on the Water Quality and Health Bureau's policies and activities including the environment scan, the It's Your Health series, a new technical information series, the revised website, and the Interdepartmental Working Group on Drinking Water.
Decision/Action:
- Members to provide Secretariat with useful internet links to go on Health Canada's water quality website by March 21, 2003.
- For future meeting, this subject will be discussed under Item 6.01, Monitoring -Guidelines-Publications.
5.12 Quebec - Certification of Treatment Devices Efficiencies (2002-10)
D.Ellis gave a presentation on Quebec's review of new drinking water treatment technologies. The review process includes engineering reports, pilot scale testing, verification of log reductions and integrity testing, full scale validation and additional parameters. D.Ellis noted that many documents are available on the website, some are in English but most are only in French.
Decision/Action:
5.13 Fluoride Litigation (2001-06)
P.Lemay gave a short update on the fluoride litigation hearings that are currently underway in BC. A judgement is expected from by the judge in next few months.
Decision/Action:
- Secretary to provide outcome of litigation hearings by March 21, 2003.
5.14 National TEC Workshop (2002-10)
D.Ellison provided a summary report of the workshop including CCME's Water Coordinating Committee role, CWWA's future role and need for direction, the need for developing such standards and concern of specific activity vs range of certification requirements.
Decision/Action:
- Working group looking at CDW and public perception to look at the issue of operator certification standards.
- For future meetings, this subject will be discussed under "Committee Transparency."
5.15 Acrylamide in Drinking Water (1987-11)
M.Giddings noted that Nigel Edmonds (Water Quality and Health Bureau) looked at the World Health Organisation review of this substance and that his report was included in the agenda package. The report recommends keeping acrylamide on the priority list for review and that NSF's standard for acrylamide in additives be reviewed.
Decision/Action:
- Members to submit any monitoring data by March 21, 2003.
- CDW to consider dropping acrylamide from priority list at next meeting.
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