2005-76
July 12, 2005
For immediate release
OTTAWA -- Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh today announced that Health Canada and the Federal-Provincial-Territorial
Committee on Drinking Water has agreed to a more stringent guideline for the amount of trichloroethylene
(TCE) in drinking water.
The new guideline is 10 per cent of the previous limit, lowered from 0.05 mg/L to 0.005 mg/L.
"The quality of drinking water is a priority for Canadians and their governments," said Minister Dosanjh. "Our
collaborative work with provinces and territories on establishing guidelines, such as this one provides
benchmarks that ensure that our drinking water is safe."
TCE is a volatile solvent used extensively in the automotive and metal industries for degreasing and
cleaning of metal parts. TCE can enter groundwater as a result of industrial effluents or spills, or leaking
from old dump sites. Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, designed to phase out
the use and sale of TCE in Canada, came into force in July 2003.
TCE is not a concern for most Canadians, particularly those whose drinking water comes from surface water
as opposed to underground water; because surface water (i.e, water from lakes, rivers and streams) is exposed
to air, TCE would evaporate. Where TCE is detected in Canadian drinking water supplies, levels are generally
less than 0.001 mg/L. Health Canada and the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water
have not identified any area or region in which the current level of TCE exceeds the new guideline of 0.005
mg/L.
While studies suggest only very low rates of health effects even at high concentrations of TCE, a possible
link between long-term exposure to high levels of TCE and cancer has been observed. In addition, preliminary
studies indicate a possible link between exposure to high levels of TCE and potential reproductive effects
associated with fetal heart development. Further studies are required to confirm these effects. The Canadian
guideline of a maximum acceptable concentration of 0.005 mg/L of TCE in drinking water is protective against
both the cancer risks and potential reproductive effects.
Monitoring for TCE is fairly extensive, however, there is little information available for individuals
or small communities on private wells. TCE contamination of groundwater or wells could be a potential problem
if the wells are located near an old industrial dump site. If people with wells are concerned, they should
consult with their local medical officer of health or local provincial, territorial or municipal environment
officials.
The guideline document can be found
on the Health Canada Web site.
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Media Enquiries:
Chris Williams
Media Relations
(613) 946-4250
Adèle Blanchard
Office of Minister Dosanjh
Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200
Public Enquiries:
(613) 957-2991
