Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water Thirty-Seventh Meeting October 26 - 28, 2005 Ottawa, Ontario
3.0 Parameters: Microbiological
3.01 Bacteriological
The documents were sent to members for approval in July. The Secretary noted that some comments have been received and are being addressed. Members reviewed the changes and made suggestions to clarify wording.
Decision/Action:
- Members approved the guideline documents for E.Coli, total coliforms, HPC and emerging pathogens
- The Secretariat will finalise the documents and develop a briefing note on the four documents to be sent to CHE. Members were asked to talk to their CHE representatives to get the documents pre-approved.
3.02 Other Microbiological Work/Documents
The next reviews of the virus, boil water advisory and protozoa guideline documents will start in January 2006. Draft documents will be ready for review in about a year.
Decision/Action:
4.0 Parameters: Chemical & Radiological
4.01 Arsenic
The technical guideline document for arsenic document has been revised based on the comments received during the consultation. A summary of these comments and the responses will be posted on the Health Canada Web site. Members discussed the responses and proposed changes. They asked for a discussion of the ALARA principle ("As Low As Reasonably Achievable") to be included in a preamble to the overall guideline package.
Members discussed whether the guideline should be set at 5 or 10 µg/L. They noted that the guideline should be made up of one value only (not one for municipal systems and another for residential systems); that the ALARA principle should be included; that there may be treatment issues with competing ions; that there are still unknowns in the health risks between 25 µg/L and the lower values, and that there may be concerns with treatment costs for systems that currently meet the arsenic guideline but that will need to install treatment to meet a revised value. It was noted that the foods industry would like the standard to be set at 10 µg/L for reasons of international standardisation. Members agreed for the guideline to be re-drafted at 10 µg/L for members to discuss with their CHE representatives, pending any concerns from Quebec. A table will be included in the document that shows the health risk range at different levels of arsenic in drinking water.
Decision/Action:
- Members agreed that the ALARA principle should be explained and included in the overall guidelines package by May 2006
- Secretariat to send members the comments and responses from the consultation to members 2 weeks prior to posting on the website
- Quebec to notify the Secretariat of any concerns with the proposed guideline value ASAP
- Members approved one guideline value (10 µg/L) for all drinking water systems
- Members agreed that a table should be included in the guideline document that shows the range of health risks related to the different levels of arsenic
- Secretariat to make final changes to the guideline document per members' comments and submit it to members for their final review, consultation with CHE members and written approval by January 6, 2006
4.02 Haloacetic Acids
The Secretariat gave a presentation on the draft HAAs consultation document and asked members to consider whether a MAC of 60 µg/L is achievable (in terms of health, treatment, and cost/feasibility considerations). Members discussed the information on health risks, sampling data, groundwater monitoring, differences in the formation of THMs vs. HAAs, the effect of seasonal variations and temperature on HAA formation, and what is considered "achievable" for small communities. Members agreed to go to consultation with a guideline value of 80 µg/L, pending any concerns from Quebec.
Decision/Action:
- Nova Scotia to send the reference for the AWWA journal to the Secretariat for review by November 18, 2005
- Members agreed to go to consultation with a proposed guideline value of 80 µg/L with recommended changes to document
- Quebec to notify the Secretariat of any concerns with the proposed guideline value ASAP
- Members agreed to a 4-month consultation
- Secretariat will revised the document quickly and send it to CDW for a final review and requesting paragraphs on impact by January 6, 2006
- Secretariat to send final consultation documents to CDW two weeks prior to posting on the website
4.03 MCPA
Removed from the agenda
Decision/Action:
4.04 Radiological Parameters
The guidelines for radiological parameters have been developed by the FPT Radiation Protection Committee. Members asked for a list of labs that are accredited for these parameters and a short list of parameters that should be looked at for compliance testing. Most provinces do not require radiological testing of drinking water supplies. It was noted that the data in the document was provided by members of the FPT Radiation Protection Committee. Members noted they would like up-to-date exposure information included in the body of the document. Members asked what could trigger the monitoring of these parameters. Nova Scotia has a protocol on its website that will be made available to members. Only 14 of the parameters are naturally occurring. The others are found near artificial sources.
Decision/Action:
- Secretariat will compile a list of labs that can do analyses for radionuclides in drinking water and the Secretariat will pass it on to members by January 6, 2006
- Nova Scotia to provide members with the link to their protocol by January 6, 2006
- Members agreed with the changes and that the document be approved for national consultation for 2 months
- The Secretariat will quickly revise the document and send it to Members to update their PT paragraphs for inclusion in the text prior to January 6, 2006
4.05 Trihalomethanes - CDBPs Project
The Secretariat reviewed the major changes made to the document. Members discussed modifications to the wording of certain sections and concerns related to the endpoints used to derive the guideline value and with risk communication. Members discussed inconsistencies between documents related to the need for all drinking water systems to be disinfected. Members supported the decision to use a MAC for BDCM and a locational running average of 100 µg/L for THMs with a clear statement about why the committee is not setting a guideline value based on reproductive effects. They approved a revised guideline statement.
Decision/Action:
- Members approved a 16 µg/L for BDCM as a MAC with a clear statement about why the value is not based on reproductive effects. The statement will go in the executive summary, the application of guideline and the rationale
- Members approved a 100 µg/L for THMs as a "locational" running annual average
- Secretariat to make final changes to the guideline document per members' comments and submit it to members for their final review, consultation with CHE members and written approval by January 6, 2006
4.06 Other Chemical/Physical Parameters
The Secretariat is actively working on guidelines for the following
parameters: Benzene, Carbon Tetrachloride, Chloral Hydrate, Chlorine,
Potassium, and Tetrachloroethylene. New research is available about
perchlorate. The corrosion control guideline is undergoing a second
round of peer review to look at changes made to the document. No
major changes are expected. Some provincial data suggests a correlation
between alkalinity and lead corrosion. It was noted that CHE is
interested in seeing the corrosion control guideline move forward
quickly.
The Secretariat has been working on a number of guidance values for various Canadian jurisdictions. These parameters include 1,4 - Dioxane (0.3 µg/L); DIPA/Sulfolane (Soil quality guidelines); Metalaxyl; Tetrachloroethylene; and Triclopyr and Hexazenone. Seven Canadian Environmental Assessments have been done.
Decision/Action:
- Members to provide data related to corrosion control
- Secretariat to send members the draft corrosion control document in early 2006 for review
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