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Notes for remarks

by

The Honourable Laurel Broten
Minister of the Environment

"Partners in Quality, Safeguarding the Source: Ontario's Clean Water Act"
Ontario Water Works Association/Ontario Municipal Water Association
Annual Conference

Doubletree International Plaza Hotel
May 1, 2006 - 9:00 A.M.

(Check against delivery)

Thank you Rod and good morning everyone.

I am delighted to be here this morning. And I am especially pleased to be able to kick things off as you head into what will likely be a very interesting conference.

As I stand here looking out on a room full of drinking water specialists, it’s pretty obvious that we have shared interests — big ones.

And as each of you in this room knows — they’re not just big, they’re critically important to the future of this great province.

While I may be relatively new to the “water” field, I am passionate, believe me.

I have learned a huge amount in a short period of time and I have a very good sense of where we’re heading. That’s what introducing legislation will do for you!

But standing here addressing a group with your level of expertise is exciting. You are the researchers and chemists … the engineers and hydro-geologists … the equipment suppliers … the managers, operators and technicians. In essence, you are the stewards of Ontario’s water systems, dedicated to keeping our province’s drinking water clean and healthy, affordable and accessible for the people of Ontario.

I want to start by simply thanking you for your contribution … for the jobs you do so well. Our government knows first-hand the value of your work.

For while we live in a province that enjoys an abundance of water, we cannot take it for granted.

We must be vigilant in preserving and protecting our water resources and in ensuring the water we drink is of the highest possible standards.

Your associations and, indeed, your membership know this — and you act upon it.

The McGuinty government knows this — and we act upon it.

Most important, I think, the people of Ontario know what they deserve — and we are acting on their behalf. We’re on the side of Ontarians.

As partners in the pursuit of quality, I know that we all take our responsibilities seriously.

It is up to us to respect and protect Ontario’s water at its source, and along every inch of its journey.

It’s a big job and a complex one. And we’ve all taken great strides forward.

Over the past few years, together we’ve improved how water in Ontario is treated, how water system operators are trained, and how water systems are inspected.

We have introduced environmental penalties and a community cleanup fund to guard against industrial spills affecting drinking water.

Together, we’ve come a long way.

But there is still so much more to do.

Water remains vulnerable to pollutants and contaminants.

Land development means there is less and less natural filtering of rainwater by the ground.

There are emerging concerns with lower water levels related to global warming.

There are continuous threats to our water quality and quantity at source.

We must respond. We must prevent potential threats from becoming real problems. And our government is taking the action that is needed.

Our proposed solution is new and unique in our province.

For the first time, communities would be asked to work together to create and carry out a plan to protect their drinking water sources.

For the first time, communities would integrate plans across boundaries to protect and monitor water from source to tap.

For the first time, communities would be empowered to prevent any potential threat to the water they depend upon every day.

The focus of our solution and the heart of our commitment to clean, safe and healthy water is our proposed Clean Water Act.

Its founding principle lies in prevention.

Everyone here knows that preventing a problem from happening in the first place is much better than attempting to fix it after the damage has been done.

It doesn’t matter how good a job you are doing if contamination forces you to close your intakes. No matter how good the treatment process gets, we can’t rely on it alone.

And since threats to our water respect no jurisdictional boundaries; neither should our response.

If passed, the Clean Water Act would require that a source protection plan be developed for all municipal drinking water sources in Ontario.

Each plan would be locally-driven and would call upon the public to be full participants in its development.

We believe that all community members should have a say in how their water is managed — from landowners and farmers to businessmen and women and environmentalists. Any person, for that matter, who is interested — deserves to know about a resource as basic and essential as drinking water. It is vital to their lives, to the lives of their children and grandchildren.

Chaque plan de protection des sources d’eau potable serait élaboré à l’échelle locale avec l’entière participation du public.

En effet, nous croyons que tous les membres d’une collectivité, comme les propriétaires fonciers, les exploitants agricoles, les entreprises ou les groupes écologiques, doivent pouvoir s’exprimer sur les meilleures façons de protéger l’eau — une ressource vitale pour eux et pour leurs enfants et petits-enfants.

Each plan would call upon local authorities to determine the protection measures that are needed, how these measures should be carried out, and who should take responsibility for leading them.

Each plan would be based on the best available science.

If municipalities are going to effectively protect their drinking water, they need to know how much water they have in reserve, how it’s replenished, and what poses a threat to the supply.

That’s why our government has committed more than $67.5 million to fund technical studies on source water protection.

Close to $10 million in grants has already been allocated to municipalities and conservation authorities to study municipal drinking systems across the province, and your communities will have already received notification of funding amounts.

Our government is committed to ensuring that all municipalities, large and small, urban and rural, are able to effectively monitor and protect their own water supply.

If passed, the Clean Water Act would give the public better information about threats to drinking water and how they could be addressed.

We want the whole community to have the opportunity participate in finding practical, workable local solutions through full and public consultation.

Solutions will no doubt range widely.

Each community has its own challenges in protecting water supply.

The legislation would encourage and respect each individual response because we recognize you know your own issues best.

The legislation would also encourage voluntary response to potential threats to local water.

People want to do their part in working toward a cleaner, greener environment.

And the vast majority of identified threats would likely be able to be resolved directly between local officials and concerned landowners.

Over the past few months, I’ve travelled around the province and have spoken to many people about our proposed legislation.

I’ve spoken with farmers and landowners, business operators and industry stakeholders, conservation authorities and health authorities, and, of course, local citizens.

Perhaps most importantly, everyone I talked to agreed that we need an approach that is both practical and workable — one that makes sense in all areas of the province, in both rural and urban communities.

I’ve also spoken extensively to water experts such as yourselves. Your input is valuable to us as we move forward with our proposed legislation, and I want to assure you of our strong commitment to working in partnership with municipalities and the water industry.

I am glad that both OWWA and OMWA have welcomed this proposed legislation as a key component in our government’s multi-barrier approach to water protection.

My ministry’s officials have also consulted widely with community leaders and local associations to gather information on water quality and quantity issues.

And everywhere, the message has come through loud and clear.

Clean water is a priority for the people of Ontario.

Water protection must be viewed as a shared responsibility and local action is the most effective means of ensuring water quality and supply.

More than any other group of Ontarians, you — as experts — know the high level of effectiveness of local water treatment centres across the province.

But the Walkerton tragedy showed us all that we must go further.

Ontario’s drinking water sources must be better protected from any potential contamination.

And treatment, no matter how good, should be just one barrier in a multi-barrier system as recommended by Commissioner Justice O’Connor, and which together, we are implementing.

The people of Ontario must be able to depend upon clean, safe, reliable water.

In a world where so many nations cope with unsafe water and sanitation … where villagers must often walk for miles to reach the closest water source … where people and livestock and crops are at the mercy of drought and a limited water supply …

Ontarians have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of this life-giving resource that our province holds in such abundance.

I know that some municipalities have expressed concern about powers and responsibilities as outlined under the Clean Water Act.

If passed, the Act would require that source protection plans be developed for all municipal drinking water sources in Ontario.

Watersheds don’t start or stop at the town line; neither should the plans — or the responsibility — to protect them. That being said, decisions made by municipalities cannot be made in isolation.

That’s why conservation authorities are being asked to help coordinate planning, and their participation is indeed important.

But our government does recognize municipal involvement as the essential component in local source water planning and protection.

I want to recognize those of you who are on the front-lines of ensuring clean, healthy water for the people of Ontario.

You do a terrific job day-in and day-out. And our government is fully committed to supporting your efforts to foster continuous improvement.

I want to thank you for the tremendous work your members have put in over past few years on drinking water issues.

We also recognize the commitment drinking water systems operators are making to their communities and we’ve strengthened the training and certification requirements for this important profession. Next week, an important milestone will be reached: the deadline for re-certification of grand-parented operators.

OWWA and the Ministry have worked together to assist operators in meeting this deadline, including holding special exam sittings at this year’s conference.

For the past two years the ministry has worked closely with the OWWA, OMWA and other partners to ensure the operating community is aware of the new certification requirements for grand-parented operators and have had numerous opportunities to become recertified.

In today's conference program you may have noticed an ad for two special exam sittings during this conference.

In addition, your own members have provided us with advice and expertise as examiners for special “one-on-one practical” exams. These have provided grand-parented operators with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and competency by performing their duties in their workplace with a peer assessor.

Since August 2004, significant outreach has occurred with your associations to ensure operators and owners were clearly aware of the May 14th deadline. This outreach has included providing articles and inserts for your Pipeline Newsletter as well as making presentations to the Ontario Water Works Association and Ontario Municipal Water Works Association Annual Conferences and Area Conferences — over 20 conference sessions.

We’ve also made important investments in the training of operators with the establishment of the Walkerton Clean Water Centre.

I had the opportunity to visit Walkerton last week and it was exciting to hear about the excellent work they’re doing to provide training for operators across the province. Dr. Saad Jasim, the Executive Director of the WCWC will be speaking here tomorrow and I encourage you to discuss your operator training needs with him.

Much of the progress we’re making on our clean water initiatives is due to the positive relationship we have with the OWWA/OMWA. And the regular quarterly meetings between MOE staff and your executives continue to build on this partnership.

I also want to thank you all for your ongoing contributions and your participation in consulting with us on the Clean Water Act — along with the many other initiatives we have posted to the EBR.

We also value the contribution of Ontario’s Chief Drinking Water Inspector Jim Smith, who is monitoring the overall performance of Ontario’s drinking water systems and the efficiency of the ministry’s inspection program.

As you know, these inspections are an important support to municipalities.

They help ensure water systems meet Ontario’s strict standards for protecting water quality. And they provide municipalities with detailed information that can help inform their decisions in such areas as infrastructure investments.

Last week, I received the first annual report of our Chief Drinking Water Inspector. This report builds on the information provided in last May’s Progress Report, and includes new information on operator training and certification, laboratory licensing and inspections along with enhancements to our source to tap framework for drinking water protection.

I am pleased to report that we are providing Ontario with safe drinking water.

After a full review of all municipal residential drinking water systems, 99.74 per cent of all tests performed in 2004-2005 met Ontario’s stringent drinking water standards. We will continue to work with owners, operators and operating authorities of drinking water systems and other stakeholders to ensure the excellence of our drinking water.

The upcoming Municipal Drinking Water Licensing program is a new approvals framework for municipal drinking water systems.

We appreciate the input provided by members of the sector through our Municipal Licensing Work Group and we will continue to work in partnership with you as the program is rolled out over the next two years.

The Drinking Water Quality Management Standard is a key component of the licensing program and will provide yet another tool for assisting municipalities in delivering clean, safe drinking water.

Justice O’Connor wrote about the concept of a “peer support” program saying “No matter how well it is run, an organization can benefit from constructive suggestions about its operation from people who do the same type of work in similar organizations”. Perhaps your incoming president, Mr. Wayne Stiver, said it best in a recent edition of Ontario Pipeline , when he referred to this program as a “shining example of how we (the industry and the ministry) can work together to address the needs of the stakeholders.”

MOE staff is here at the conference presenting information on a number of topics that I’m sure you’ll find valuable — including the Clean Water Act, Municipal Licensing and the Quality Management Standard.

Thanks to our shared commitment Ontario’s strong drinking water protection laws and rigorous inspection program are working.

Inspections help ensure that our drinking water systems are providing us with safe water.

They also provide important information that can help municipalities and other owners decide what infrastructure investments to make so they continue to provide their communities with drinking water that’s safe and healthy.

Jim is addressing you a little later this morning, and I know he plans to talk to you further on his findings and the ways in which we can best sustain this high level of excellence.

My colleague, Ontario’s Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal David Caplan is also here this morning to speak to you.

Minister Caplan is spearheading our government’s massive $30 billion, five-year investment in the infrastructure of this province.

Modern, reliable and efficient water infrastructure will help us reduce the risk of contaminated drinking water, clean up our beaches, lessen the number of sewage-related water problems, and protect our water supplies.

The treatment plants that clean the water and the pipes that carry it are old and getting older. We need to invest in them so we can continue to have clean, safe water for the future so we can secure the foundations of the commitment we’ve made.

And it is one of many critical steps we’ve taken in order to ensure clean, healthy water for Ontarians … at every stage … in every community … from source to tap …

I know you share our commitment and I want to thank you for the essential work you do to safeguard our water now — so we can protect it for future generations.

Our government looks forward to continuing to work together in partnership …

To ensure Ontarians in every community can drink their local water with confidence …

To ensure that water in every jurisdiction remains clean and plentiful.

And to preserve and protect this natural resource — which is so vital to us all.

Thank you.

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