Drinking Water Quality Management System (DWQMS)

Recently the City of Hamilton received
Full Accreditation
Certificates for each operating system are below - click link to view

Lynden       Carlisle     Freelton      Greensville    Hamilton 


After the Walkerton Inquiry in 2000, Justice O’Connor recommended the adoption of quality management systems (QMS) for municipal drinking water systems. The QMS developed is known as the Drinking Water Quality Management System or DWQMS and is a set of policies and procedures to ensure the consistent delivery of clean, safe drinking water to our community.  

Accredited Operating Authority

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was also enacted in 2002 by the Province of Ontario as a result of events in Walkerton. The SDWA requires Owners and Operating Authorities of municipal residential drinking water systems to have an accredited Operating Authority. An Operating Authority must establish and maintain a QMS and be accredited by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) through independent 3^rd party audits. In December of 2008, the City Of Hamilton submitted its DWQMS Operational Plan to the CGSB as the first step in achieving accreditation. In July of 2011, the City's operating authority was notified that we received full accreditation.Under the SDWA, those who operate a municipal drinking water system must have a licence to manage and operate the system. In order to obtain the licence, the Operating Authority must have:

The DWQMS Operational Plan documents the City of Hamilton’s DWQMS and is available for viewing at the following locations:

• Central Library, 55 York Blvd, Hamilton

• Stoney Creek Library, 777 Highway 8, Stoney Creek

• Turner Park Library, 352 Rymal Road East, Hamilton

• Dundas Library, 18 Ogilvie Street, Dundas

The Operational Plan Summary Report and the DWQMS Policy are available below.

Water Infrastructure Financial Plan

The City of Hamilton has also developed a Water Infrastructure Financial Plan. The Financial Plan is a short term (10 year) set of statements which describe the financial status of the City’s drinking water systems. Council endorsed the Water Infrastructure Financial Plan on May 12, 2010. This approval reflected a conclusion that Hamilton drinking water systems are financially viable, having the financial resources necessary to operate successfully over the next ten years.

Financial Plan 
      
Paper copies of the Financial Plan are available at no charge at 330 Wentworth St. N. at the Water & Wastewater Customer Service Area. 

If you require either the Operational Plan or the Financial Plan in an alternate format such as Braille or large print please call the Compliance Support Group at 905-546-2424 (ext. 2321).

 Last revised: November, 2011