What is Ontarios Safe Drinking Water Act?
The Ontario Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 (hereafter referred to as the Safe Drinking Water Act) was enacted in December 2002, in response to recommendations made by Justice O’Connor in his Report of the Walkerton Inquiry, Part 2. In essence, the Act consolidates legislative and regulatory requirements regarding the treatment and distribution of drinking water in Ontario. Before the passage of this Act, drinking water was generally governed by the Ontario Water Resources Act as part of the provinces overall regime for protecting surface and groundwater. During the 1980s and 1990s, several members of the Ontario Legislature introduced private members’ bills to enact specialized safe drinking water legislation. However, none of these private members’ bills were enacted into law. In the aftermath of the Walkerton tragedy, the Ontario government intensified its efforts to ensure drinking water safety under the “Operation Clean Water” program.
