Policy Text:
Where event based modelling has shown that a spill from a nuclear generating station would cause the storage and/or use of tritium contaminated heavy water to be a significant drinking water threat, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks should, in consultation with the appropriate authorities:
a) update spill notification protocols jointly with Spills Action Centre to ensure direct notification to all potentially affected water treatment plant operators and appropriate communication to the public and media;
b) review the reporting thresholds jointly with affected municipalities, including consideration to lowering of the spill notification threshold to municipalities for significant threat activities and adjust the reporting threshold as required;
c) ensure that information is communicated to all responsible parties (e.g., the originators of the spill, emergency response/clean-up personnel, medical officer of health, municipal water owner and water operating authority) who are responding to the spill;
d) investigate and evaluate existing Risk Mitigation Plan/Risk Reduction Plan/Risk Contingency Plans make modifications where necessary with priority on reducing the likelihood of spills (such as potential additional design and operational best management practices and operational procedures), which would impair drinking water sources; and
e) work with the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management to ensure that testing of the Risk Mitigation/Risk Reduction/Risk Contingency Plan is carried out within 3 years of the Source Protection Plan coming into effect, followed by regular (frequency and priority to be determined in consultation) emergency response preparedness exercises to address the significant threats identified.
Timeline:
T-15: The policy shall be considered within 2 years from the date the Source Protection Plan takes effect.