Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs
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Assessment of the Water Withdrawal and Protection Regulation standards

August 2017 assessment

The Water Withdrawal and Protection Regulation (chapter Q‑2, r. 35.2, called the “WWPR”) entered into force on August 14, 2014. Section 106 of the Regulation provided that standards relating to the protection of water samples taken for the purposes of human consumption or food processing be evaluated three years later, and subsequently every five years, on the basis of the advancement of scientific and technical knowledge. To that end, reviews of the scientific and technical literature, as well as similar requirements established in provinces and states neighbouring Québec, were conducted for various groups of standards.

Section 106. The standards of this Regulation concerning the protection of water withdrawals for human consumption or food processing purposes are evaluated 3 years after the coming into force of this Regulation (2014-08-14) and every 5 years after that on the basis of the evolution of the applicable scientific and technical knowledge in that respect.

Below are the reports produced for five groups of standards:

The Department is continuing the analysis of these reviews of the literature to determine the next steps.

Back to Water Withdrawal and Protection Regulation (WWPR)

2018 assessment

A review of the scientific and technical literature and similar requirements in other states and provinces was also made in 2018, relating to Chapter IV of the Water Withdrawal and Protection Regulation respecting the design and construction of geothermal systems.


Assessment of standards applicable to pesticides utilized in proximity to water withdrawal sites meant for human consumption – 2020

The standards applicable to the use of pesticides in proximity to withdrawal sites for water meant for human consumption are stipulated in the Pesticides Management, not the WWPR. A review of the literature on the history of pesticide use, the profile of pesticide occurrence in water, the regulatory framework in other jurisdictions and the state of scientific knowledge about the behaviour of pesticides in subsurface water was prepared for the Ministère in 2020.

The latest updated report of pesticide sales in QuébecThis hyperlink will open in a new window. and monitoring pesticides in water (French) are available on the Ministère’s website.


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