Should Alberta Strengthen Drinking Water Standards for Non-Municipal Systems?

Official title: Drinking water standards engagement

Closed Regulations & Permits Environment & Climate Health & Safety
Alberta gathered feedback on drinking water safety rules for places not connected to city water systems. Think campgrounds, rural businesses, and remote facilities that use wells or water haulers. The government wanted to know what's working and what's confusing about current guidelines before turning them into formal regulations.

Why This Matters

Ever drink water at a campground, rural gas station, or remote lodge? Those places often aren't on city water. This consultation shaped the rules that keep that water safe. If you run a business with a private well or haul water to customers, these standards directly affect you.

What Could Change

The feedback will shape new formal standards under Alberta's Public Health Act. Current voluntary guidelines could become mandatory regulations. Operators of non-municipal water systems may face new testing requirements, reporting rules, or treatment standards.

Key Issues

  • What gaps exist in current drinking water guidelines for non-municipal systems?
  • How can the guidelines be made easier to understand and use?
  • What challenges do operators face in meeting current standards?

How to Participate

  1. This consultation has closed. Feedback was collected through an online survey from September 16 to October 29, 2021. You can learn more about the Public Health Guidelines for Non-Municipal Drinking Water.

What Happened

Feedback was collected through an online survey from September 16 to October 29, 2021. Operators of public non-municipal drinking water systems also attended online information sessions. The feedback will inform the content and implementation of standards proposed for adoption under the Nuisance and General Sanitation Regulation.

Key Documents