Health Canada

Recreational water areas are any natural fresh, marine or estuarine (somewhat salty) bodies of water used for recreational purposes, such as: lakes, rivers, oceans human-made systems, for example: artificial lakes, stormwater ponds. They do not include swimming pools, splash parks or other...

Before your visit, Check for up-to-date water quality monitoring results and swimming advisories on local health department or municipal websites. Pack protective gear such as: hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, personal flotation devices (if needed). Talk to your health care provider about the risks...

Understanding hazardsIt's important to understand the potential hazards in recreational water areas. Authorities can help protect people from these hazards with: water quality management plans tools such as surveys and source tracking

Pathogenic microorganisms are extremely small organisms that may cause disease, and include:bacteria, viruses, parasites. Many different kinds can be present in the water and sand at recreational water areas. Most come from human and animal waste that enters waterways from: swimmers, runoff from...

Cyanobacteria are also known as blue-green algae. They're a type of bacteria that occur naturally in fresh and marine bodies of water. There are many types of cyanobacteria, and some can produce harmful toxins called cyanotoxins. Cyanobacteria can grow quickly in freshwater lakes and rivers under...

The Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality consist of multiple guideline technical documents that consider the various factors that could interfere with the safety of recreational waters from a human health perspective. This includes technical documents on understanding and managing...

The Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality comprise multiple guideline technical documents that consider the various factors that could interfere with the safety of recreational waters from a human health perspective. This includes technical documents on understanding and managing...

Water quality affects everyone. Find out more about water pollution and your health. What the flood? Recreational water safety.

Responsibility for the quality of drinking water is shared by all levels of government. The federal government plays a key role in the area of drinking water by, among other things, leading the development of guidelines for drinking water and providing scientific and technical expertise to the...

Guideline Technical Document for Public Consultation Consultation period ends November 28, 2023. Purpose of consultation: This guideline technical document evaluated the available information on iron with the intent of updating the guideline value for iron in drinking water.

This guideline technical document outlines the evaluation of the available information on calcium, magnesium, hardness, chloride, sulphate, total dissolved solids (TDS) and hydrogen sulphide with the intent of updating the guideline value for these operational parameters in drinking water. The...

Purpose of consultation This guideline technical document evaluated the available information on managing risks in recreational areas with the intent of updating/recommending a preventive risk management approach to managing recreational areas. The purpose of this consultation is to solicit...

This guideline technical document evaluated the available information on microbiological pathogens and biological hazards in recreational waters with the intent to provide regulatory authorities and decision-makers with guidance on these topics. The purpose of this consultation is to solicit...

Water Quality , Reports and Publications

There are limited data on the toxicological effects of antimony in humans. The majority of the human data in the literature come from the reported side effects observed during therapeutic applications of antimony-based drugs (antimonials). Side effects observed following therapeutic-level doses...

Canadians can be exposed to antimony via food, drinking water, air and consumer products. Exposure to antimony trioxide and antimony containing substances (11 inorganic compounds) has been assessed previously (Environment Canada and Health Canada, 2010; ECCC and Health Canada, 2020). This section...

Table B-1. Total antimony concentrations for select river basins across Canada, from Environment Canada's long-term monitoring data (2000–2015) Table B-2. Total antimony concentrations for select provinces groundwater monitoring studies across Canada

This guideline technical document evaluated the available information on antimony with the intent of updating the guidelines for antimony in drinking water. The purpose of this consultation is to solicit comments on the proposed guidelines, on the approach used for its development, and on the...

Health Canada is updating its guidance document on antimony in drinking water. We're looking for comments from regulatory authorities, decision makers and the public on the draft document. Opened on December 24, 2022, and will close to new input on March 8, 2023.

Health Canada has developed a technical document to provide regulatory authorities and decision makers with an objective for the level of iron substances in Canadian drinking water supplies. We're looking for comments on this draft document from regulatory authorities, decision makers and the...