BC OAG Protection of Drinking Water Audit in5slides
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The British Columbia Auditor General's audit highlights significant risks to the province's drinking water due to climate change, industrial activity, and population growth, revealing a fragmented regulatory framework involving 23 pieces of legislation. The Ministry of Health has shown inadequate leadership and fails to effectively monitor drinking water systems, particularly affecting 4,400 small systems that lack resources. The report underscores the need for better natural resource management and suggests that health departments may not be the best entities to lead efforts in drinking water protection.
BC OAG Protection of Drinking Water Audit in5slides
- 1. British Columbia Auditor General audit of Protection of Drinking Water.… Climate change, industrial activity, as well as a growing population, all pose risks to B.C.’s drinking water. The oversight of drinking water is very complex, so the BC Auditor General looked at how well the Ministry of Health was providing leadership and coordination. FEBRUARY 2020
- 2. The auditors found that the regulatory framework is a mess – involving 23 pieces of legislation and lots of agencies. The Ministry of Health hadn’t really kept up-to-date, and didn’t look like they were really taking leadership seriously. Funding and capacity had been diluted during the 18 years since the primary legislation was passed. WHAT DOES IT SAY. FEBRUARY 2020
- 3. The PHO couldn’t do annual reporting regularly. Even when they did, in 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2015, no-one listened to their recommendations. As a result, there remain risks for 4,400 small systems in B.C. arising from impacts on water sources. These are in areas that can’t afford water protection systems, and can’t afford highly skilled staff. It sounds like the auditors think that the population in the large urban areas get a better deal. WHAT ELSE DOES IT SAY. FEBRUARY 2020
- 4. Finally, the report includes an appendix that lists major outbreaks of waterborne illness in North America since 1993, which may be useful to some. It acts to reinforce what could happen if the recommendations of this report are also ignored. Follow-up audit anyone? WHAT ELSE DOES IT SAY. FEBRUARY 2020
- 5. • BC has lots of drinking water systems that are at risk. • Good natural resource management has a direct impact on quality of drinking water. • Health departments might not be the best agencies to lead protection of drinking water, as they do not have power to influence upstream natural resource management. The comments on these slides are the views of Tim Kirby, Sydney. You should always read the report itself before putting your reputation, or any money on the line. WHAT DOES IT MEAN. Tim Kirby, Sydney FCA, CIA, CGAP au.linkedin.com/in/timkirbysydney FEBRUARY 2020