Responsibility for the quality of drinking water is shared by all levels of government. The federal government plays a key role in the area of drinking water by, among other things, leading the development of guidelines for drinking water and providing scientific and technical expertise to the provincial and territorial governments, through the Federal-
Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water. As part of their management responsibilities, the provinces and territories are generally in charge of regulating drinking water systems, including setting quality standards and managing source waters, treatment plants and distribution systems. Municipalities are usually responsible for the actual treatment and distribution of drinking water to the public,
except private home owners who draw drinking water from a source on their property. Because of the complexity of water issues, effective collaboration is key to maintaining drinking water quality.