Is bottled water regulated differently than tap water?
Yes. Bottled water is extensively regulated as a food product by federal, provincial and association standards. Tap water by contrast is only regulated as a utility by the provinces. Although the federal government established the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines, they have only been legislated in several provinces and remain legally unenforceable elsewhere. By contrast bottled water regulations are legally enforceable throughout Canada .
Yes. While bottled water is regulated federally as a food (see Question 2), the tap water distributed by municipalities is regulated by the appropriate province or territory. However, Health Canada is involved in the development of the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. These Guidelines are developed through the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water which includes members from the provinces, territories and Health Canada’s Healthy Environment and Consumer Safety Branch. They contain guidelines for microbiological, chemical, physical and radiological contaminants. For each contaminant, the Guidelines establish the maximum acceptable concentration of the substance that can be permitted in water used for drinking. They are used by the provinces and territories as the basis for their own drinking water standards. More information on the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.
