Effectiveness of Canada’s Clean Water Policy in Ensuring Clean Water and Sanitization
Effectiveness of Canada’s Clean Water Policy in Ensuring Clean Water and Sanitization
Introduction
Today, water pollution is a major concern for many countries, and it is a problem that almost every country in the world experiences. Water is a basic need that humans cannot live without. Therefore, protecting natural water resources is among the top priorities in environmental protection all over the world. Canada is one of the countries battling the problem of water pollution, especially with industrialization being a major occurrence in the country, leading to water resources such as lakes, rivers, and streams being polluted. Water pollution and failure to protect the natural water resources leads to overall environmental pollution, which leads to other major problems such as inadequate clean and safe water for domestic and industrial use and also leads to health problems. To deal with the water pollution problem in Canada, there are certain policies under the Canadian environmental policy which are aimed at making sure that the natural resources are well protected and balancing water uses with the requirements of the many interrelationships within the ecosystem.
Canada’s Federal water policy is more than 30 years old, and it is outdated. The country’s highly intensive industrial uses, agribusiness activities, and pollution have a huge impact on the water in Canada. Canada lacks legally enforceable drinking water standards. In fact, in April 2008, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, there were 1,755 boil-water advisories in Canadian municipalities. The same report showed that some communities in Canada have endured drinking water advisories for many years and that 100 Canadians die every year from water-borne diseases. Over the years, Canada has experienced various water tragedies, such as the 2000 tragedy where seven people died in Walkerton, Ontario, from a water contamination incidence. The water was contaminated with the E.Coli Virus. Again, in 2001, more than 6,000 people fell ill in Battleford when water was infected by a parasite. Such tragedies occur when contaminated or polluted water is used for domestic use. Some common sources of water pollution include domestic and industrial effluent wastes, marine dumping, radioactive waste, leakage from water tanks, and atmospheric deposition. Harmful waste from factories is often disposed of in lakes and rivers, which then accumulates in such water sources, which then poses risks to humans and animals.
The water policy of Canda takes into account the needs of all citizens in Canada and aims at encouraging the use of freshwater efficiently and in a reasonable manner consistent with the economic, social, and environmental needs of present and future generations. This policy has two major goals; to protect and enhance water resources in Canada and to promote judicious and efficient management and use of water. The policy enacts five strategies to reach these goals. The strategies are;
Water pricing – as a result of the government’s subsidies, Canadians have access to a low-priced water supply system. The water policy required the government to encourage the application of pricing and other strategies so as to raise the concerns on the overuse of water and the resulting problems.
Science leadership –in order to achieve a water-based economic development that is environmentally compatible, cooperation in new and improved technology is required, and this is obtained through the federal government’s plans to encourage opportunities for the private sector and other non-governmental technological development in the water conservation industry.
Public Awareness – the federal government raises Awareness in water resources management and protection through the provision of chances for people to involve in decision making via public consultation and giving input on water decisions that have wide economic, social, or environmental implications.
Integrated planning – an integrated approach by the federal government to the planning and improvement of water resources focuses on all water uses and water-related activities. The increasing competition among water users all over Canada, and the acknowledgment of social-environmental, recreational, and heritage values are some of the reasons for the growing significance of cooperative planning between different levels of government organizations and institutions.
Generally, through the water act, each level of government has different roles in managing water resources in Canada. Cooperative projects involve regulating, appointing, monitoring or surveying water resources, and the planning and enactment of programs that are related to the conservation and development of water resources.
Economic Factors Affecting the Current Policy
One of the biggest problems associated with the protection and management of water and water sources in Canada is pollution. With the ongoing industrialization in the industrial sector of the country, poor waste management has become a major problem resulting in pollution. Most of the pollution comes from domestic waste. Different industrial waste that is dumped into the rivers without being treated is a major source of water pollution. Such industries as textile, electroplating, pesticides, sugar, and paper industries are among the major pollutants of water in Canada. Wastes from these industries reach the rivers and streams, which is then carried into the oceans and lakes, from which Canadians get their water for domestic use. As a result, the use of contaminated water leads to serious health complications, especially water-borne diseases. The contamination of water from these wastes depends on the nature of the industries. When the toxic metals enter the water, the quality of the water is reduced as a result. According to Desai (2014), 25% of the water pollution in Canada is caused by industries and is more harmful.
Canada has major industries and factories that contribute to water pollution. A particular industry is Canada’s oil sands. The Canadian oil sands are a major contributor to Canada’s economy as they provide energy security for Canada, and are a major source of government revenue and provide employment to many Canadian citizens. Therefore, they are a huge part of the Canadian economy. Consequently, they are one of the sources of water pollution. These oil sands have a large carbon footprint and therefore are a major cause of pollution. They emit huge amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, which leads to increased levels of acid rain, leading to water contamination.
The agricultural sector of Canada is also another problem related to pollution, affecting the water policy. According to Corkal & Adkins (2008), Canada’s agricultural sector is a major contributor to the economy, providing 1 in 7 jobs within Canada. The sector accounts for 8.3% of Canada’s GDP. In any country, agriculture involves the use of a lot of water in watering plants, mixing pesticides, and so on. Water is used to irrigate the crops, and even though a huge amount of the water goes back into the grown, in most cases, the water has been changed and carries soil and other dissolved compounds. This water then acts as a pollutant. The water used in agriculture mixes with pesticides, fertilizers, and manure, which may then find its way into rivers and finally into large water bodies, leading to pollution.
Apart from the industries, the increasing population in Canada also plays a role in water pollution. An increase in population means that there is an increase in solid waste generation (Jabeen et al. 2011). Similarly, this waste is also discharged into natural water sources, leading to pollution. Human excreta from the huge population is one of the contributors to water pollution. In relation to the growing population, the Canadian government and the United States government share interconnected water supplies that are aimed at providing enough water in the two countries. Canada exports water to the United States in bulk despite having clean and safe water inadequacies, and this affects the water sustainability of Canada and its ability to offer adequate clean water to some Canadian citizens, especially the aboriginal communities.
Political Factors Affecting the Current Policy
The Canadian water act is involved in water security, which means that it is responsible for making sure that Canada’s water is secure and safe water is sufficient for all Canadians. Water security is also related to the prevention of water pollution. The Canadian government is often emphasized when it comes to water security. It is responsible for water governance, meaning that it is involved in the decision-making process by which water is managed. According to Bakker (2002), water governance includes “political, organizational and administrative processes through which communities articulate their interests, their input is absorbed, decisions are made and implemented, and decision-makers are held accountable for the development and governance of water resources and delivery of water services” (Norman, Bakker & Dunn, 2011). The political field concerned with the water act mostly concentrates on water security. As a result, major emphasis of the government or other legal managing bodies is the legal protection of water. A recent water security concern relating to the government in Canada is related to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which affected Canada’s water security. As Quinn (2007) highlights, concerns over the sovereignty that arose out of NAFTA failed to clearly exclude bulk water exports from the agreement. The response included amendments to the federal legislation and the creation of new provincial legislation.
The government funding is a major political factor affecting the current policy. The Canadian water act cannot fulfill its objectives without adequate funds from the government. Different water program agreements require the participation of various levels of government to specify the amount of funding each will pay and the information and expertise that each level of government will provide in enacting the various policies aimed at managing and safeguarding Canada’s water. The ability of the government to fund programs aimed at water protection and improvement, therefore, affect the current policy. Failure to allocate funds to important areas related to the safety of water sources and pollution prevention could lead to major consequences in water pollution and lack of clean and safe water for domestic use. Consequently, this means that the health of humans and animals will be at risk from the health implications brought about by water pollution. Aside from funding, the government is also responsible for coming up and enforcing water quality regulations. It enacts different acts that ensure that Canada’s water resources are well protected through initiatives and programs aimed at preventing pollution.
Effectiveness and efficiency of the current policy in ensuring clean water and sanitization
Since it was developed, the water policy has managed to ensure the quality and distribution of safe water and protecting water sources. Overall, it has aimed at protecting the environment through water safety. Under this policy, the government has played a major role in ensuring that the policy meets its goals, which have been mentioned above. The policy has successfully facilitated national leadership in ensuring that the freshwater management of Canada is in the national interest. Additionally, the policy has promoted partnership approaches among different levels of government and other private sectors in contributing to and profiting from the effective management and sustainable use of the resource. Generally, the water policy addresses water resources management and balances water uses with the needs of different interrelationships within Canada’s ecosystem.
The water policy of Canada takes into account the requirements of Canadians in its overall objective by encouraging the utilization of freshwater in a well-organized and equitable manner. Over the years, the policy has successfully been able to stress government action and involvement in managing and protecting Canada’s water. On matters concerning pollution, the policy has mostly concentrated on reducing water pollution at the source. The policy recognizes that preventing pollution is the most effective way to protect the environment. As a result, the policy includes regulations on industries known to pollute the environment, specifically the pollution of water through disposing hazardous waste into water sources. The policy has been successful in managing toxic and other harmful substances through the chemicals management plan, which is aimed at limiting toxic chemicals from getting into the freshwater reserves in Canada. Water quality monitoring is one of the major successes of the water policy. Specifically, freshwater quality monitoring has been a central function of the policy. The monitoring and surveillance activities have been crucial in assessing and reporting the quality status of water to fulfill different federal domestic and international commitments and legislative obligations. Under this policy, much of the monitoring is carried out through federal and provincial agreements, ensuring cost-effective and non-duplicate program delivery (Benidickson, 2017). Notably, the policy has managed to address the complex environmental issues, mainly in the deteriorating water quality that threatens the well-being of humans and the ecosystem. There have been several initiatives such as the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) which ensure that Canadian’s have access to clean and safe water and that Canada’s water resources are used effectively and efficiently, both ecologically and economically.
Conclusion
Even though the water policy has managed to meet some of its goals as described above, it has failed to meet others. Most of its successes are only recognizable in its goal to protect water resources and prevent pollution, mainly through the integration and enforcement of certain laws such as the Fisheries Act, Navigable Waters Protection Act, and the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act, all of which are aimed at preventing pollution and ensuring water safety. However, it fails in other areas, such as failing to establish national enforceable drinking water standards. Canada lacks legally enforceable drinking water standards. As previously mentioned, some communities have endured drinking water advisories for years now, and as a result, deaths resulting from water-borne diseases are reported every year. Another failure of Canada’s water act is that it fails to recognize water as a human right. The United Nations has passed several resolutions that recognize the human right of water and sanitation. Canada endorsed this human right but failed to recognize it at every level of government. Particularly, the government has failed to respect the indigenous water rights. Indigenous people have never relinquished rights to their lands and adjacent waters by signing treaties. The government does not respect the rights of the indigenous groups to their waters. The result of this is that these groups lack access to adequate clean and safe water for domestic use.
References
Bakker, K. 2002. Good Governance in Restructuring Water Supply: A Handbook. Ottawa and Toronto: Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Munk Centre for International Studies.
Benidickson, J. (2017). The Evolution of Canadian Water Law and Policy: Securing Safe and Sustainable Abundance. McGill J. Sust. Dev. L., 13, 59.
Corkal, D. R., & Adkins, P. E. (2008, September). Canadian agriculture and water. In 13th IWRA World Water Congress (pp. 1-4).
Desai, N., & Vanitaben, S. (2014). A Study on the Water Pollution based on the Environmental Problem. Indian Journal of Research, 3(12).
Jabeen, S., Mahmood, Q., Tariq, S., Nawab, B., & Elahi, N. (2011). Health impact caused by poor water and sanitation in district Abbottabad. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, 23(1), 47-50.
Norman, E. S., Bakker, K., & Dunn, G. (2011). Recent developments in Canadian water policy: An emerging water security paradigm. Canadian Water Resources Journal, 36(1), 53-66.
Quinn, F. (2007).Water Diversion, Export, and Canada-US Relations: A Brief History. Toronto: Program on Water Issues: Munk Centre for International Studies. Retrieved from http://www.powi.ca/pdfs/waterdiversion/waterdiversion_briefhistory.pdf