Drink responsibly this summer – know your water

Drink responsibly this summer – know your water
When you pack the car with all your gear this summer in anticipation of the great-Canadian road-trip, there are likely a couple of things on your mind: Did I forget anything? When’s the next rest stop? And, when will the kids stop fighting? However, if you pass through small communities, you also need to be aware of any boil water advisories or warnings before you fill up your water bottles at the local watering hole. Health and Safety Watch, an organization dedicated to helping Canadians get the most relevant and accurate information on all types of health and safety recalls, warnings, and advisories now provides Canadians with up-to-date water advisory information to ensure you are as informed as possible.


Not all Canadian jurisdictions report drinking water advisories in the same way and a national advisory approach does not exist, so staying informed can be a significant challenge. To help keep Canadians up-to-date HSW monitors available electronic public health information sources and posts information on the HSW website, making it a central location to find important health and safety related information. Although HSW cannot guarantee 100% coverage, all community-based advisories that are identified are posted on the HSW website. By providing this information, HSW is filling a gap to ensure all Canadians have access to the latest water advisories and we can enjoy our summer vacations and travel.
Along with being informative, the site makes it convenient and easy to access the information. A mapping tab enables visitors to see multiple recalls and advisories on an interactive map, simply by typing in their current location. Specific icons will pop up, allowing you to find out what health alerts are affecting the community in question. HSW is also working to add water advisories associated with parks and other popular destinations for vacationers during the summer months.