Resolutions	Recent Developments
#A04-7, Minimum Separation Distances from Sewage Systems to Wells and Surface Waters alPHa urges the Minister of Municipal Affairs to immediately amend the regulations governing the repair and replacement of sewage systems to include a clear definition of the "repair" and "replacement" of sewage systems and to require that the minimum separation to wells and surface water not be less than that required for newly constructed sewage systems.	August 25th, 2005 Reply received from MMAH regarding alPHa's July 11 letter. Please click here to read. July 11, 2005 New letter sent to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to reintroduce the resolution and further explain our concerns. Please click here to read. September 10, 2004 Reply received to the letter described below. It states that the health unit may order upgrades to the system if it feels that it is unsafe. Please click here to read. July 21, 2004 Letter written to Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing John Gerretsen introducing alPHa resolution #A04-7. Please click here to read.
#A02-6, Arsenic in Drinking Water   alPHa urges the Government of Ontario to amend Regulation 459/00 under the Ontario Water Resources Act to set a Maximum Acceptable Concentration for Arsenic in drinking water of 0.003 mg/L (3 ppb).	July 4 2007 alPHa has received a reply from MOE to the May 10 letter indicating that the current guideline is under review. Please click here to read. May 10 2007 alPHa has written a letter to the Minister of the Environment inquiring about the province's intent to lower the MAC for Arsenic under the Ontario Drinking Water Standards, which remains at 0.025 mg/L. Please click here to read the letter. May 2006 The current Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) for arsenic in drinking water (0.01mg/L) has been reaffirmed in the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. The rationale is based on balancing relative risk with the cost of treatment technologies required to lower the MAC to levels considered to be of "essentially negligible risk" (0.003 mg/L). Please click here to read the rationale. October 11, 2002 Received a response from Minister Chris Stockwell indicating that the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water has undertaken a review of this contaminant, which is scheduled to conclude in the autumn of 2003, at which time a consultation on revising the Federal guideline of 0.025 mg/L will take place.  If a revision lowers the limit, the Province will undertake a similar consultation through the EBR.
#A01-10, Access to Safe Drinking Water alPHa urges the Government of Ontario to amend the Ontario Building Code Act to require that all new residential buildings that will rely on a private surface water supply which includes a dug well, must have effective filtration and disinfection equipment; AND FURTHER that in order to encourage the outfitting of existing residential buildings alPHa requestthe Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario to allow the cost of retrofitting with water filtration and disinfection equipment as tax deductible.	August 22, 2002 Received a reply from Minister Stockwell, indicating that solutions are being sought to address concerns expressed about requirements of O. Reg 459/00. The MOE will also be providing information to operators of systems not covered by 459 or 505/01 expressing that they need to ensure safe water.  New standards for wells are also being proposed. July 10, 2002 Received a letter from Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing Minister Chris Hodgson, who indicated his commitment to safe drinking water, and pointed out that potable water is a requirement of the building code.  He also pointed out that the MOE is responsible for establishing drinking water standards, and forwarded a copy of our letter to Minister Stockwell.