A state of emergency: Ending boil water advisories in British Columbia

Clean water is essential for human survival, yet many communities in British Columbia (BC) do not have access to this resource. Boil water advisories are one identifier of this problem. There are many reasons why providing clean water continues to be a challenge, including ambiguity in governance structure, data limitations, and geographical restrictions. These issues play a significant role especially in rural regions, and can impose serious mental, physical, and spiritual health implications in these communities. This capstone project presents a background on boil water advisories in BC, critiques current management practices within regional health authorities, explores water management practices in other provinces, and highlights current class-action lawsuits. Immediate and continuous work is necessary for all British Columbians to attain access to an internationally recognized human right of clean drinking water. Policy recommendations are directed to the BC provincial government – to terminate boil water advisories once and for all.