Water Quality Testing. Source: MegarhyssaThe provincial and territorial governments have the primary responsibility for managing and protecting water quality, including the provision and regulation of drinking water and wastewater services. The federal government is responsible for ensuring the safety of drinking water within areas of federal jurisdiction, such as national parks and Aboriginal reserves. It also plays a significant role in protecting water quality by regulating toxic substances, conducting water quality research, and promoting pollution prevention.

Perhaps the most significant advance in water quality management that has evolved over the last few decades is the gradual replacement of resource and sector management approaches by more integrated ecosystem and watershed approaches in dealing with environmental issues. Complementing these approaches is the recent adoption by governments of the source to tap, multi-barrier approach to protecting drinking water for Canadians. The multi-barrier approach highlights the importance of protecting the lakes, rivers and aquifers which are the sources of our drinking water, as well as ensuring effective treatment and distribution systems.

Sourced from the Council of Canadian Ministers of the Environment's Source to Tap: Canada