Rural Water Supply and Wastewater System Policy and Management: Evaluating the Gaps and Issues

Abstract

This thesis is an evaluation of rural private communal and private on-site water and wastewater systems in Northern Ontario. The research was undertaken by travelling to four case study locations across Northern Ontario, where key informants were interviewed using a series of questions pertaining to these rural water and wastewater systems. The information gathered from these interviews was then analyzed using the axial coding method to clearly identify gaps and issues in management and policy. From this analysis it became clear that there is a number of gaps and issues identified related to the policies and management of rural private water supply and wastewater systems in Northern Ontario such as lack of owner/operator knowledge, lack of use of Municipal Responsibility Agreements, inconsistent authoritative control, and inconsistent management practices. By identifying these gaps and issues, recommendations were noted to address each identified gap or issue.