Drinking Water
Whether it comes from underground sources or from a river or lake, water used to supply drinking water is essential. But before water can be consumed, it must first be determined that it is safe to drink. Only then is it delivered to consumers’ taps. An extensive monitoring process ensures that the water derives from a source of the highest possible quality and that it remains safe to drink from treatment to tap.
This page contains a wealth of information on the overall concerns about drinking water. The information provided is intended for private owners as well as those responsible for large drinking water facilities in Québec.
- Acts and regulations
- Authorizations and supporting documents
- Specific interventions concerning various water quality problems (French)
- Directories of production and distribution systems (French)
- Statements, Reports, Studies and useful references
- Environment Quality Act (EQA)
- Regulation respecting the quality of drinking water and supporting documents
- Regulation respecting private waterworks and sewer services (French)
- Regulation respecting the regulatory scheme applying to activities on the basis of their environmental impact (REAFIE) (French)
- Regulation respecting water withdrawals and water protection
- Proposed Strategy for the protection and conservation of sources intended for the supply of drinking water (French)
Authorizations and supporting documents
- Authorizations
- Authorization request (French)
- Compliance Report (French)
-
Information sheet: Small system treatment equipment
authorization (French,
PDF, 36
KB) -
Use of drinking water technical data sheets as part of the authorization process (French,PDF, 36
KB)
- Supporting documents
-
Guidelines to create a drinking water source protection plan
(French, PDF,
787 KB)
- Design guidelines for drinking water production facilities (G1)
- Small plant design guidelines (G2) (French)
- Validation of treatment technologies
- Design Manual for Municipal Drinking Water Distribution Systems BNQ 3660-001 (replaces Directive 001) (French)
- Guidelines on drinking water distribution system best practices
- Guide to temporary industrial camps (French, PDF, 630 KB)
-
Guidelines to create a drinking water source protection plan
(French,
Specific interventions concerning various water quality problems
- Boil water and drinking water avoidance advisories (French)
- Lead in drinking water (French)
- Manganese in drinking water (French)
- PFAS in Drinking Water (French)
-
Cyanobacteria:
- General informations, best practices and documentation
- Intervention guide for affected facilities
(French, PDF, 467 KB)
- Sample daily monitoring register (French,
Word, 100
KB)
- Well water:
- Water purifiers: making the right choice (French)
Directories of drinking water production and distribution systems
- Members of the Program for excellence in drinking water (French)
-
Municipal
water
treatment
plants:
- Surface water supplied (French)
- Groundwater supplied (French)
- Municipal water distribution systems and their type of supply (French)
- Water distribution systems that have not provided bacteriological results during the past 2 months (French)
- Monitoring of the transmission of required quarterly reports (French)
Statements, reports, studies and useful references
- The impact of climate change on drinking water sources in Quebec (PDF, 1,3 MB)
-
Drinking Water in Québec: Strict Requirements for High-Quality Water
(French, PDF,
605 KB)
- Drinking water statements, reports and studies
- Eaux3 municipales newsletter (French)
Other agencies:
