Source: Mississippi Conservation AuthorityWater quality refers to the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. We evaluate water quality from the standpoints of whether water is safe to drink, safe to come in contact with (e.g. swim in), and for ecosystem health. A general perception of water quality monitoring is that it tells us whether water is polluted or not. In fact, water quality is a very complex subject, in part because water is a complex medium. It is intrinsically tied to the ecology of the Earth.

It is important to understand what constitutes high quality, clean water. In nature, pure water does not exist. That is, it isn’t possible to find water that has absolutely nothing in it. Water is always found in combination with minerals and chemicals.

Source: Conservation OntarioWater is all around us; in the air, under the ground, and in lakes, rivers and streams. But where exactly does the water we use and depend upon every day come from? Depending on where you live in Canada, the water you drink, wash in, spray on your garden and use to prepare food comes from either surface water or groundwater. Most people who live in towns or cities will get there water from surface waters, where as most people living in rural areas will get their water from groundwater via wells.

Read Local: Where Does Your Water Come From?

Adapted from Pollution Probe's Drinking Water Primer 

The contamination of ground and surface water is primarily a result of human activity. Industry, agriculture, urban development, and even the way we care for the land at our home can affect water quality. Therefore, it is important to have an understanding of how human activities can both directly and indirectly, negatively affect water quality, and in turn threaten drinking water.

Human Activities in the Watershed

It is important to note that a number of natural elements, such as arsenic, mercury and lead, radioactive compounds such as radium and microorganisms such as parasites, bacteria and algae are naturally present in water in small amounts. At low natural levels the presence of these elements, compounds and microorganisms are not a concern. However, when the levels of these elements increase as a result of human activities, they then have the potential to be harmful.

There are two types of surface water and groundwater contamination - point source pollution and non-point source pollution.

Adapted from Pollution Probe's Source Water Protection Primer

Water treatment is the process of cleaning the water and making sure it is safe for people to use, whether for drinking, washing, bathing or cooking. Almost every large city in the world treats its drinking water in some way.  Drinking water treatment plants select the processes necessary for their type of source water, as water can require different treatment based on where it comes from and the type of environment it flows through. Therefore, only the steps that are necessary for the particular type of supply are utilized.

Adapted from Pollution Probe's Drinking Water Primer

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

The choices Canadians make every day can help protect our water sources. Individual actions such as taking used engine oil and other household hazardous waste to a proper waste facility, to collective efforts of Canadians working together to develop watershed-based source protection and integrated management plans can assist in protection.