Health Canada recently launched a public consultation on Guidelines for Canadian drinking water quality for radiological parameters. The purpose of it is to solicit comments on the proposed guidelines for Radiological Parameters, the approach used in their development, and the potential impacts of implementing them.

Maximum Acceptable Concentrations (MACs) have been established for the most common radionuclides in Canadian drinking water sources. These MACs are listed in the table below and have been included in the consultation:

MACs for Natural and Artificial Radionuclides

Natural Radionuclides	MAC	Artificial radionuclides	MAC
Total Uranium	0.02 mg/L	Strontium	5 Bq/L
Lead-210	0.2 Bq/L	Iodine	6 Bq/L
Radium-226	0.5 bq/L	Cesium	10 Bq/L
Tritium	7000 Bq/L

With the exception of uranium, these radiological parameters are not included as standards in Manitoba’s Drinking Water Quality Standards Regulation. The MAC for uranium has not changed and remains at 0.02 mg/L, which is the same as is set out in Manitoba’s regulation.

The Office of Drinking water is sharing this document with important stakeholders across the province and recommends that you provide comments on the development of this guideline. The Office of Drinking Water respectfully requests that this consultation link be posted on the Manitoba Water and Wastewater website to provide access to the consultation process by stakeholders in the water treatment industry.

Any questions or comments can be directed to: water-eau@hc-sc.gc.ca

The consultation opened on October 11, 2024, and will close on January 10, 2025.

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is pleased to announce we will be offering a 30% discount for the Canadian water community on our AWWA OpCert Exam Prep App. Access the Canadian Water Community 30% Discount   AWWA will discount a 6-month subscription for $20.99 USD (regularly $29.99 USD) and a 12-month subscription for $34.99 USD (regularly $49.99 USD). This discount will be available through December 31, 2024. Are you studying for a water or wastewater certification exam? Study on the go with AWWA’s OpCert Exam Prep App and get ready to ace your exam. Tap into these app features, developed by water industry experts: Explanations of answers, including equations and formulas Progress-tracking with charts and detailed results Access through the Apple App Store, Google Play, and a desktop version via your web browser Learn More About the AWWA OpCert Exam Prep App

SELKIRK, Man. – The city’s wastewater treatment plant was honoured last month by the Red River Basin Commission (RRBC) with the presentation of its North Chapter Award, in recognition of Selkirk’s contribution and commitment to water management and water protection through projects and initiatives.

Click to read the Full Article on the Water Canada website

The Manitoba government is releasing its initial Water Strategy Action Plan. This action plan is a focused guide to specific and time-bound actions that government is taking to transform the Water Management Strategy’s focus areas and strategic objectives into concrete actions.

We released our comprehensive Water Management Strategy on November 8, 2022, which sets the direction for Manitoba’s water future and provides a framework to conserve and protect the environment, enhance resiliency, improve water quality and availability, enhance engagement and Indigenous inclusion in water management, and foster economic development opportunities. The initial Water Strategy Action Plan is a complement to the Water Management Strategy, providing a suite of new water projects, programming and initiatives that Manitoba has launched since the release of the Water Management Strategy and will initiate in fiscal year 2023-24.

The initial Water Strategy Action Plan builds on extensive input from Manitobans, including the 2021 advice and recommendations from the Expert Advisory Council, additional citizen engagement through EngageMB, and further stakeholder engagement. The investments announced in the initial Water Action Plan reflect this feedback, and are a critical first step towards meeting the water needs of Manitobans in a resilient and sustainable way, while protecting our water resources and ecosystems.

The action plan is iterative and will be updated regularly to reflect work completed and to provide clarity on next steps and future initiatives. Manitoba is committed to providing transparent and regular progress reports, beginning with an initial progress report within one year of the release of the initial action plan.

This initial Water Strategy Action Plan signifies a continued commitment to build Manitoba’s water future, and is only the beginning of this work. This is just the first action plan and there will be more to come.

You can visit https://manitoba.ca/sd/water/index.html to learn more.

Thanks to all of you who provided your input and feedback as we developed the initial Water Strategy Action Plan.

CWRA MB Webinar - June 13, 2023 Long-term Trends in Riverine Nutrient Loads, Ratios, and Streamflow in the Red-Assiniboine Basin Presented by: Amy B. White, Ph.D. Candidate StrEAMS Lab, Department of Biology University of Waterloo 12:00 noon to 1:00 P.M. For additional information on this webinar, including directions for how to register for this event, please follow the links on the bulletin here.   *Please pass this bulletin on to others whom may be interested in attending this event* *To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send an email to mb@cwra.org

Hello,

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is proposing amendments to the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER). You are receiving this email from because we understand that your wastewater system is subject to the WSER. As such, we are seeking your input on the proposed amendments.

We have published the proposed Regulations Amending the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (proposed amendments) in the Canada Gazette I. We are initiating a 60-day public consultation period. We invite you to review the proposed amendments and share any feedback and perspectives by July 26, 2023.

Proposed Amendments

The proposed amendments would allow new applications for extensions to upgrade wastewater systems (transitional authorizations). They would also expand temporary bypass authorizations for maintenance work at the treatment plant to include releases from the sewer system and would set conditions based on risk to the environment. ECCC is also proposing to amend administrative provisions to provide greater clarity and resolve implementation issues.

We have created factsheets that explain through the proposed changes to the Regulations, which are available on our webpage.

Feedback and Information Sessions

To provide your comments on the proposed amended regulations, please use the commenting boxes provided on the Canada Gazette webpage and if you have comments on a specific section, please note it. You can comment on behalf of an organization, individually, or anonymously, and your comments will be publicly available to increase transparency and accountability. For more information on how to comment, please visit our site Comment on proposed regulations.

We will be hosting public information sessions to discuss the proposed amendments, answer questions and receive feedback. To register for a virtual information session, please visit our webpage using the following link: Consultations on wastewater - Canada.ca.

Please feel free to forward to others that may be interested in participating and providing input.

Comments collected during the consultation phase will inform the final amended regulations.

Should you have any questions during the consultation process, please contact us.

Regards,

 

Wastewater Section
Environment and Climate Change Canada/ Government of Canada

eu-ww@ec.gc.ca  / Tel: 819-420-7727 / Fax: 819-420-7380

ECO Canada: Help us illuminate key demographic and compensation trends. View in browser with images

Participate in ECO Canada’s Survey for a Chance to Win a $100 Gift Card ECO Canada wants to provide environmental workers and their employers with up-to-date insights that will help them navigate these changing times. Our 2023 Demographic and Salary survey is designed to do just that – but we need your help! By completing this survey, you will help us to illuminate key demographic and compensation trends and provide solutions to some of the environmental sector’s greatest workforce challenges. To thank you for your participation, you will receive a chance to be entered to win one of ten $100 gift cards. Take the survey