What is the difference between the requirements for bottled water and for tap water in Ontario?
A regulation (O. Reg.169/03) under Ontario ‘s new Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 sets numerical limits on contaminants in drinking water. Under this regulation, maximum levels of chemical, bacterial and radiological parameters are set for municipal drinking water supplies. All drinking water in Ontario must meet these standards. However, bottled water is not legally required to meet these same standards. In addition, the requirements for monitoring municipal drinking water for chemical and bacterial contamination have been strengthened under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The regulations also require that all test results of municipal drinking water must be available to the public on demand. Bottled water may also contain contaminants. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for checking for possible contamination. Yet it is not known how frequently or how thoroughly the Agency tests. There is no requirement that the bottled water companies themselves do comprehensive or regula
