Strengthened
regulatory role
Saskatchewan Environment is the
principle regulator of municipal water supplies, certain pipeline
systems and waterworks while Saskatchewan Health regulates
smaller "semi-public" water supplies. The regulatory
role of Saskatchewan Environment includes:
- Developing legislation, regulations,
and standards associated with drinking water management;
- Inspecting waterworks on a regular
basis to identify potential problem areas;
- Providing technical advice to
waterworks operators and owners to aid in their understanding
of the regulatory requirements;
- Managing policy issues and developing
standards for operator certification;
- Assessing waterworks safety
and water quality concerns;
- Preparing an annual report on
the state of drinking water quality;
- Implementing drinking water
quality standards;
- Construction and operation permitting
and the provision of expert advice on waterworks and sewage
works design;
- Participating with other agencies
to aid in the overall coordination of drinking water management
across Saskatchewan; and
- Tracking and enforcing drinking
water quality for regulated waterworks and providing compliance
information to owners to aid in safeguarding the quality
of drinking water across the province
Testing water quality
Saskatchewan Environment requires
that waterworks owners submit drinking water samples for analysis
to ensure that the water is safe for drinking, food preparation,
showering and bathing. Drinking water is to be tested for
bacterial, chemical and in some instances pesticide contamination
to ensure that it is safe for the intended uses. Saskatchewan
Environment also has measures in place to ensure that disinfectant
use is monitored and reported if problems arise.
When problems are discovered, Saskatchewan
Environment assists in identifying the cause of the problem
and provides advice to help in correcting operational difficulties.
The results of drinking water tests are reviewed and if there
are problems serious enough to create risks to human health,
the public is notified by means of a Precautionary Drinking
Water Advisory. Saskatchewan residents are now assured of
a quality water monitoring program in order to ensure safe
water supplies for today and into the future.
Saskatchewan Environment also tests
the quality in the province's rivers and lakes to ensure that
the water is safe for such things as swimming, fishing, irrigation
and other uses.
Public protection
Waterworks owners carry the responsibility
to provide safe water and the day-to-day management of systems
which produce it. In the reorganization of government activities
with respect to water, an important distinction has been made
between departments and agencies with service and program
delivery roles and those with specific public protection responsibilities.
Saskatchewan Environment has received specific public protection
responsibilities along with the powers it needs to fulfill
those duties, including:
- enabling the issuance of Precautionary
Drinking Water Advisories and emergency waterworks and sewage
works protection orders
- the ability to issue orders
related to operators of water and sewage works
- more and stronger abilities
to inspect waterworks;
- the issuance of administrative
penalties and the ability to issue orders to:
- cease or suspend the operation
of water or sewage works;
- suspending a water or sewage
operator from his/her duties as an operator
- appointing a project manager
for the operation of water or sewage works.
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