Agencies, Partners and Other Ministries

Walkerton Clean Water Centre

To safeguard drinking water for the people of Ontario as the leading centre for high quality training, applied research and technology demonstration.

• provides hands-on training for drinking water system operators from across Ontario
• educates and gives advice on:
•  water treatment, equipment
• water treatment technology
• operational requirements
• environmental issues related to drinking water

Learn more from the Walkerton Clean Water Centre website.

Ontario Clean Water Agency

To provide safe, reliable and cost-effective clean water services across the province.

•  operates numerous municipal water systems on behalf of the municipalities

Learn more about OWCA’s services, resources and career opportunities on their website.

Ontario Drinking Water Advisory Council

To advise the Minister of the Environment on drinking water standards, legislation, regulations and issues, to protect the water that Ontarians drink.

Visit the Ontario Drinking Water Advisory Council’s site to learn more about the Council members, current activities and past reports.

Public Health Units

To provide a more efficient community health program, carried out by full-time, specially qualified staff.

Visit the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s site to locate the public health unit for your community.

Ontario Water Wastewater Certification Office 

The certification program administrators for the Ministry of the Environment.

• classify drinking-water subsystems,
• certify and re-certify  drinking-water operators under O. Reg. 128/04
• classify wastewater facilities,
• license and re-license wastewater operators under O. Reg. 129/04
• certify water-quality analysts
• approve training courses to meet annual training requirements under O. Reg. 128/04

Visit Ontario Water Wastewater Certification Office’s site to learn more.

Source Protection Committees

Nineteen groups, representing multiple stakeholders and lead by Minister-appointed Chairs, responsible for carrying out source protection planning.

• Prepare the terms of reference, assessment reports and source protection plans in accordance with the Clean Water Act regulations.

Conservation Ontario

The umbrella organization that acts as Ontario’s source-protection authority and represents Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities.

• facilitate and coordinate source protection planning
• bring together municipalities and partners by facilitating working groups and public and stakeholder consultation processes

Visit Conservation Ontario’s site for a complete list of Ontario’s conservation authorities and learn more about source protection planning.

Standards Council of Canada

A federal Crown corporation.

• promote efficient and effective standardization in Canada 

Visit Standards Council of Canada’s site for a current list of laboratories accredited for and testing Ontario Drinking Water Standard parameters. 

Canadian Association of Laboratory Accreditation

A not-for-profit association.

• provide laboratory accreditation through proficiency testing, training, responsive and quality assurance services
• participate in inter-lab comparisons and on-site assessments based on international standards

Visit Canadian Association of Laboratory Accreditation’s site for a full list of accredited laboratories that can test for Ontario Drinking Water Standard parameters.

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Information about wells including:

• water well publications (care and maintenance of private wells)
• what to do in times of water shortage
• maintaining water quality, protecting drinking water and proper construction and abandonment of wells
• implementing bodies for source protection planning

Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care

Information on:

• public health units
• small drinking water systems
• drinking water and boil water advisories
• other publications related to well and water safety

Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure

• infrastructure projects in Ontario, including those related to water and the environmental
• information about Ontario Small Waterworks Assistance Program

Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

• implementing bodies for source water protection

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

• How they:
• support the Ministry of the Environment in developing legislation, regulations, policies and technical guidelines
• facilitate access to information and partner with the Ministry of the Environment on source protection
• implementing bodies for source protection planning

Ontario Ministry of Transportation

• implementing bodies for source protection planning