Water Policy in Ontario and Europe: A Study in Contrasts

Abstract

This chapter is a comparison of the water policy in Ontario and Europe. We compare the usage, treatment technology, consumer satisfaction, level of waste water treatment, and overall quality of drinking water. We come to the conclusion that consumers in Germany enjoy a higher quality of TREATED water than in Ontario. The policy conclusion is that Ontario should invest in granular activated carbon filtration or invest in advanced oxidation. At the very least reduce and eventually move away from chlorination for primary disinfection. Also, begin to treat all wastewater to the same extent as the plants in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Appendices

Appendix 9.1 German Drinking Water Maximum Concentration Level for Chemical Parameters (Bundesgesetzblatt 2011)

Chemical parameters
Parameter	MCL (mg/L)	Parameter	MCL (mg/L)
Acrylamide	0.0001	Antimony	0,005
Benzene	0.001	Arsenic	0.01
Boron	1	Benzo [a] pyrene	0.00001
Bromate	0.01	Lead	0.01
Chrome	0.05	Cadmium	0.003
Cyanide	0.05	Epichlorohydrin	0.0001
1,2-dichloroethane	0.003	Copper	2
Fluoride	1.5	Nickel	0.02
Nitrate	50	Nitrite	0.5
Plant protection products and biocidal products	0.0001	Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons	0.0001
Plant protection products and biocidal total	0.0005	THMs	0.05
Mercury	0.001	Vinyl chloride	0.0005
Selenium	0.01	Uranium	0.01
Tetrachloroethene Trichloroethene	0.01 0.01

1. Note Measured quantities are based on a representative for the weekly average value ingested by consumers; this is provided in Article 7, Para 4 of the Drinking Water Directive, which calls for the establishment of a harmonized procedure. The competent authorities shall ensure that all appropriate measures are taken to reduce the concentration of lead in water intended for human consumption within the period that is necessary to achieve the limit as far as possible. Measures to achieve this value progressively give priority to the store where the lead concentration in water for human consumption is high

Appendix 9.2 German Drinking Water Maximum Concentration Level for Indicator Parameters (Bundesgesetzblatt 2011)

Indicator parameters
Parameter	Unit	MCL (mg/L)
Aluminum	mg/L	0.2
Ammonium	mg/L	0.5
Chloride	mg/L	250
Clostridium perfringens (including spores)	Number/100 mL	0
Coliform bacteria	Number/100 mL	0
Iron	mg/L	0.2
Staining (Spectral absorption coefficient at 436 nm)	1/m	0.5
Odor	Ton	3 at 23° C.
Taste		Acceptable to consumers and no abnormal change
Colony count at 22° C		No abnormal change
Colony count at 36° C		No abnormal change
Electrical conductivity	µS/cm at 25° C	2,790
Manganese	mg/L	0.05
Sodium	mg/L	200
Organic carbon	mg/L	No abnormal change
Oxidizability	mg/L O2 demand	5
Sulfate	mg/L	250
Cloudiness	Nephelometric turbidity units (NTU)	1
Hydrogen ion concentration	pH units	6.5–9.5
Calcite	mg/L CaCO3	5
Tritium	Bq/L	100
Total indicative dose	mSv/year	0.1

Appendix 9.3 Regulatory MCLs (μG/L) for Chemicals in Drinking Water (Ontario Regulation 169/03^** 2008, WHO 2011, USEPA 2009, EU Council 1998, Bundesgesetzblatt 2011, and Health Canada 2012)

Chemical parameters	Ontario	WHO	USEPA	EU	Germany	Canada	Chemical group
1,1,1-Trichloroethane	N/S	N/S	200	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
1,1,2-Trichloroethane	N/S	N/S	5	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
1,1-Dichloroethylene (vinylidene chloride)	14	N/S	7	N/S	N/S	14	Organic
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene	N/S	N/S	70	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
1,2-Dibromo-3_chloropropane (DBCP)	N/S	1	0.2	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
1,2-Dibromoethane	N/S	0.4	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
1,2-Dichlorobenzene	200	1,000	600	N/S	N/S	200	Organic
1,2-Dichloroethane	5	50	5	3	3	5	Organic
1,2-Dichloropropane	N/S	40	5	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
1,3-Dichloropropane	N/S	20	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
1,4-Dichlorobenzene	5	300	75	N/S	N/S	5	Organic
1,4-Dioxane	N/S	50	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
2,3,4,6-Tetrachlorophenol	100	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	100	Organic
2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4,5-T)	280	9	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
2,4,6-Trichlorophenol	5	200	N/S	N/S	N/S	5	Organic
2,4-Dichlorofenoxy butyric acid	N/S	90	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
2,4-Dichlorophenol	900	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	900	Organic
2,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D)	100	30	70	N/S	N/S	100	Pesticide
4-(2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxy)acetic acid (MCPA)	N/S	2	N/S	N/S	N/S	100	Pesticide
Acrylamide	N/S	0.5	a	0.1	0.1	N/S	Organic
Alachlor	5	20	2	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Aldicarb	9	10	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Aldrin + Dieldrin	0.7	0.03	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Aluminum	N/S	N/S	N/S	200	200	N/S	Inorganic
Ammonium	N/S	N/S	N/S	500	500	N/S
Antimony	6	20	6	5	5	6	Inorganic
Arsenic	25	10	10	10	10	10	Inorganic
Asbestos (million fibers > 10 μg/L)	N/S	N/S	7	N/S	N/S	N/S	Inorganic
Atazine	N/S	100b	3	N/S	N/S	5	Pesticide
Atrazine + N-dealkylated metabolites	5	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Azinphos-methyl	20	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	20	Pesticide
Barium	1,000	700	2,000	N/S	N/S	1,000	Inorganic
Bendiocarb	40	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S		Inorganic
Benzene	5	10	5	1	1	5	Organic
Benzo(a)pyrene	0.01	0.7	0.2	0.01	0.01	0.01	Organic
Boron	5,000	2,400	N/S	1,000	1,000	5,000	Inorganic
Bromate	10	10	10	10	10	10	DBP
Bromodichloromethane (BDCM)	N/S	60	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	DBP
Bromoform	N/S	100	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	DBP
Bromoxynil	5	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	5	Pesticide
Cadmium	5	3	5	5	5	5	Inorganic
Calcite	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	5,000	N/S	Inorganic
Carbaryl	90	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	90	Pesticide
Carbofuran	90	7	40	N/S	N/S	90	Pesticide
Carbon Tetrachloride	5	4	5	N/S	N/S	2	Organic
Chlopyifos	N/S	30	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Chloramines	3,000	N/S	4,000	N/S	N/S	3,000	Disinfectant
Chlorate	N/S	700	N/S	N/S	N/S	1,000	DBP
Chlordane (Total)	7	0.2	2	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Chloride	N/S	N/S	N/S	250,000	250,000	N/S	Inorganic
Chlorine dioxide	N/S	N/S	800	N/S	N/S	N/S	Disinfectant
Chlorine	4,000	5,000	4,000	N/S	N/S	N/S	Disinfectant
Chlorite	N/S	700	1,000	N/S	N/S	1,000	DBP
Chlorobenzene	N/S	N/S	100	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Chloroform	N/S	300	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	DBP
Chlorotoluron	N/S	30	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Chlorpyrifos	90	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	90	Pesticide
Chromium (Total)	50	50	100	50	50	50	Inorganic
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene	N/S	N/S	70	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Copper	N/S	2,000	13,000	2,000	2,000	N/S	Inorganic
Cyanazine	10	0.6	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Cyanide	200	N/S	200	50	50	200	Inorganic
Cyanobacterial toxins-Microcystin-LR	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	1.5	Organic
Dalapon	N/S	N/S	200	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate	N/S	N/S	400	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phtalate	N/S	8	6	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Diazinon	20	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	20	Pesticide
Dibromochloromethane	N/S	100	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Dicamba	120	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	120	Pesticide
Dichloroacetate	N/S	50	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	DBP
Dichloroacetonitrile	N/S	20	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	DBP
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) + metabolites	30	1	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Dichloroisocyanurate (as cyanuric acid)	N/S	40,000	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Disinfectant
Dichloromethane	50	20	5	N/S	N/S	50	Organic
Dichlorprop	N/S	100	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Diclofop-methyl	9	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	9	Pesticide
Dimethoate	20	6	N/S	N/S	N/S	20	Pesticide
Dinoseb	10	N/S	7	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) and Furan	0.000015	N/S	0.00003	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Diquat	70	N/S	20	N/S	N/S	70	Pesticide
Diuron	150	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	150	Pesticide
Edetic acid	N/S	600	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Endothall	N/S	N/S	100	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Endrin	N/S	0.6	2	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Epichlorohydrin	N/S	0.4	a	0.1	0.1	N/S	Organic
Ethylbenzene	N/S	300	700	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Ethylene dibromide	N/S		0.05	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Fluoride	1,500	1,500	4,000	1,500	1,500	1,500	Inorganic
Glyphosate	280	N/S	700	N/S	N/S	280	Pesticide
Haloacetic acids (HAAs)	N/S	N/S	60	N/S	N/S	80	DBP
Heptachlor	N/S	N/S	0.4	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Heptachlor + Heptachlor Epoxide	3	N/S		N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Heptachlor Epoxide	N/S	N/S	0.2	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Hexachlorobenzene	N/S	N/S	1	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Hexachlorobutadiene	N/S	0.6	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene	N/S	N/S	50	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Hydroxyatrazine	N/S	200	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Iron	N/S	N/S	N/S	200	200	N/S	Inorganic
Isoproturon	N/S	9		N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Lead	10	10	15	10	10	10	Inorganic
Lindane (Total)	4	2	0.2	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Malathion	190	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	190	Pesticide
Manganese	N/S	N/S	N/S	50	50	N/S	Inorganic
Mecoprop	N/S	10	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Mercury	1	6	2	1	1	1	Inorganic
Methoxychlor	900	20	40	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Metolachlor	50	10	N/S	N/S	N/S	50	Pesticide
Metribuzin	80	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	80	Pesticide
Microcystin LR	1.5	1	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Algal toxin
Molinate	N/S	6	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Monochloramine	N/S	3,000	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Disinfectant
Monochloroacetate	N/S	20	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	DBP
Monochlorobenzene	80	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	80	Organic
Nickel	N/S	70	N/S	20	20	N/S	Inorganic
Nitrate (as nitrate)	N/S	50,000	N/S	50,000	50,000	45,000	Inorganic
Nitrate (as nitrogen)	10,000	11,000	10,000	N/S	N/S	10,000	Inorganic
Nitrate + Nitrite (as nitrogen)	10,000	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Inorganic
Nitrilotriacetic Acid (NTA)	400	200	N/S	N/S	N/S	400	Organic
Nitrite (as nitrogen)	1,000	3,000	1,000	500	500	1,000	Inorganic
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)	0.009	0.1	N/S	N/S	N/S	0.04	DBP
Organic carbon	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	No abnormal change	N/S	Organic
Oxamyl (Vydate)	N/S	N/S	200	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Paraquat	10	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Pesticide
Paraquat (as paraquat dichloride)	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	10	Pesticide
Paraquat (as paraquation)	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	7	Pesticide
Parathion	50	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Pesticide
Pendimethalin	N/S	20	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Pentachlorophenol	60	9	1	N/S	N/S	60	Organic
Pesticides	N/S	N/S	N/S	0.1	N/S	N/S	Organic
Pesticides (Total)	N/S	N/S	N/S	0.5	N/S	N/S	Organic
Phorate	2	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	2	Pesticide
Picloram	190		500	N/S	N/S	190	Pesticide
Plant protection products and biocidal products	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	0.1	N/S	Organic
Plant protection products and biocidal total	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	0.5	N/S	Organic
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	3	N/S	0.5	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons	N/S	N/S	N/S	0.1	0.1	N/S	Organic
Prometryne	1	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Selenium	10	40	50	10	10	10	Inorganic
Simazine	10	2	4	N/S	N/S	10	Pesticide
Sodium (as sodium dichloroisocyanurate)	N/S	50,000	N/S	200,000	200,000	N/S	Disinfectant
Styrene	N/S	20	100	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Sulfate	N/S	N/S	N/S	200,000	200,000	N/S	Inorganic
Sulfate	N/S	N/S	N/S	250,000		N/S	Inorganic
Temephos	280	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Pesticide
Terbufos	1	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	1	Pesticide
Tertbutylazine	N/S	7		N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)	30	40	5	10	10	30	Organic
Thallium	N/S		2	N/S	N/S	N/S	Inorganic
Toluene	N/S	700	1,000	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Toxaphene	N/S	N/S	3	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene	N/S	N/S	100	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic
Triallate	230	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	Pesticide
Trichloroacetate	N/S	200	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	DBP
Trichloroethylene/Trichloroethene	5	20	5	N/S	N/S	5	Organic
Trifluralin	45	20	N/S	N/S	N/S	45	Pesticide
Trihalomethanes (THMs)	100	N/S	80	100	100	100	DBP
Uranium	20	N/S	N/S	N/S	10	20	Inorganic
Vinyl Chloride	2	0.3	2	0.2	0.2	2	Organic
Xylenes	N/S	500	10,000	N/S	N/S	N/S	Organic

1. Note N/S refers to Not Specified
2. ^**On December 18, 2015, the Ontario government proposed tightening the permissible levels of some contaminants in piped drinking water by amending Ontario Regulation 169/03—Drinking Water Standards, under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This proposal was open for public comment until February 16, 2015. The proposal is to lower the MCLs of the following contaminants:
3. ● Lower the MCL for Arsenic from 25 to 10 μg/L;
4. ● Lower the MCL for Carbon Tetrachloride from 5 to 2 μg/L;
5. ● Lower the MCL for Benzene from 5 to 1 μg/L;
6. ● Lower the MCL for Vinyl Chloride from 2 to 1 μg/L;
7. In addition, new standards will be brought in for:
8. ● New MCL for Chlorite of 1000 μg/L;
9. ● New MCL for Chlorate of 1000 μg/L;
10. ● New 100 μg/L MCL for 2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA); and
11. ● New 80 μg/L MCL for Haloacetic Acids (HAAs) as an annual average of quarterly samples.
12. In the main, these new MCLs will bring Ontario in line with the Canada Drinking Water Guidelines, once passed into law. This could happen later this year with a grace period before they become binding on all water systems.
13. ^aEach water system must certify annually that when it uses acrylamide and/or epichlorohydrin to treat water, the combination of dose and monomer level does not exceed the levels specified, as follows: acrylamide = 0.05 % dosed at 1 mg/L (or equivalent); epichlorohydrin  = 0.01 % dosed at 20 mg/L (or equivalent)
14. ^bIncludes its chloro-s-triazine metabolites

Appendix 9.4 Regulatory MCLs (in Terms of Log Removal) for Microbials in Drinking Water (Ontario Regulation 169/03 2008, WHO 2011, USEPA 2009, EU Council 1998, Bundesgesetzblatt 2011 and Health Canada 2012)

Microbiological Parameter	Ontario	WHO	USEPA	EU	Germany	Canada
Escherichia coli (E. coli)	4	4	4d	4	4	4
Cryptosporidium	4	4	4a	4	4	3
Giardia lamblia	4	4	3	4	4	3
Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC)	3	3	3c	3	3	3
Legionella	2	2	d	N/S	3.8	2
Total coliforms	4	4	e	4	4	4
Viruses (enteric)	4	N/S	4	4	4	4

1. Note N/S refers to Not Specified
2. Turbidity: For systems that use conventional or direct filtration, at no time can turbidity (cloudiness of water) go higher than 1 Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU), and samples for turbidity must be less than or equal to 0.3 NTUs in at least 95 % of the samples in any month. Systems that use filtration other than the conventional or direct filtration must follow state limits, which must include turbidity at no time exceeding 5 NTUs (USEPA 2009). Guideline Treated water <0.1 NTU at all times (Health Canada 2012)
3. ^aCryptosporidium: Unfiltered systems are required to include Cryptosporidium in their existing watershed control provisions
4. ^bHeterotrophic Plate Count (HPC): No more than 500 bacterial colonies per milliliter
5. ^cLegionella: No limit, but EPA believes that if Giardia and viruses are removed/inactivated, according to the treatment techniques in the Surface Water Treatment Rule, Legionella will also be controlled
6. ^dNo more than 5.0 % samples total coliform-positive (TC-positive) in a month. (For water systems that collect fewer than 40 routine samples per month, no more than one sample can be total coliform-positive per month.) Every sample that has total coliform must be analyzed for either fecal coliforms or E. coli ; if there are two consecutive total coliform-positive samples, and one is also positive for E. coli fecal coliforms, then the system is in serious violation of the required MCL