As small water system owners and operators you are the front line of the water delivery system. You have the opportunity to play a vital role in helping to keep our water safe to drink.

And you face the challenges as well, often seemingly on your own. Well you've come to the right place. On these pages you will useful, practical information and solutions for all the problems and puzzles that you face as a small system operator. Written by people who have been there, and done that.

And if the information you're looking for isn't here, you'll likely find out where to look for it.
Here are some links you will find helpful:

Resources From the British Columbia Government

BC Ministry of Health Services, Public Health Protection

• Drinking Water Program

BC Government

• Water Resource Information

BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

• This Website provides drought strategies information in their Environmental Sustainability and Resource Development Program.

BC Ministry of Environment, Water, Air and Climate Change Branch of the Environmental Protection Division

• develops legislation/policies to protect air quality, water quality, drinking water sources and the land.
• standards, monitors and reports ambient air and water quality.
• information on aquifers, groundwater, water quality, and water resource

BC Government - Land and Resource Data Warehouse
Mapping information on Land and Natural Resources (Fresh water and marine):

• Community Watersheds
• Aquifer Demand
• Aquifer Productivity
• Aquifer Vulnerability
• Hydrometric Stations
• Points of Diversion
• Well Capture Zones
• Water Wells

BC Centre for Disease Control

• services to control communicable disease and promote environmental health.
• public health and reference microbiology tests - water bacteriology, detection of waterborne protozoa, outbreak detection/management.

Resources From Other British Columbia Organizations

BC Water and Waste Association

• info in all fields related to water and wastewater.
• affiliated with AWWA, WEF (see above)
• publications on different aspects of water system operation.

Waterbucket

• The waterbucket.ca website is the key to the communication strategy for the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia. It is designed to provide the complete story on integrated water management - why, what, where and how.

Water Supply Association of B.C.
The Water Supply Association of B.C. will represent the interests of local and regional water suppliers by providing general information, education, government lobbying, representation when dealing with government and non-government organizations, and active participation in water supply issues.

Other Drinking Water Resources

Sask H2O
The Sask H2O Website is a Government of Saskatchewan publication that brings together information about water from all the different governmental services in that province. The Website includes and extensive library of fact sheets on drinking water.

Canadian Water Quality Association

• educates water quality professionals
• promotes the growth of the water quality improvement industry

Alberta Water and Wastewater Operators Association

Canadian Water and Wastewater Association

Health Canada, Water Quality and Health Bureau

Water - Source - Operator Training and Certification - Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
This Government of Canada Website provides links to sources of information on drinking water and wastewater operator training.

Ontario Water Works Association

National Drinking Water Clearing House
This Website provides current information on drinking water issues and includes the On Tap Magazine, discussion groups, and tech briefs under the publications section.

InfraGuide
The InfraGuide Website includes information on innovations and best practices on a variety of topics including potable water.

Montana Water Center
The Website of the Montana Water Center at Montana State University, Bozeman, is an excellent resource of current information on drinking water. You will find a link to training CDs under the Publications section of the Website. Two CDs of note are Operator Basics 2005 and Sanitary Survey Fundamentals, both of which can be downloaded from their site if you have a fast Internet connection. You can also order the CD versions from the Website.

American Water Works Association

• leading provider of information, standards and education.
• Small Systems Resource Center has links organized by topic for water sources, treatment, storage, distribution, etc.

Water Environment Federation
Water Environment Federation is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with members from varied disciplines who work toward the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment.