Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in keeping with today's theme topic, I would like to address the issue of water quality in the North. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to state that the town of Hay River has one of the top water filtration systems in the North. I would like to commend the employees of the Town of Hay River, particularly the public works department, for their vigilance in maintaining such a high standard for the residents of Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, the water at the Hay River treatment plant is monitored daily for chlorine and other contaminants. In addition, they monitor for pH levels continuously. Water samples are taken once a week and shipped to Yellowknife for testing. In addition, Mr. Speaker, routine inspections of the water treatment plant are also conducted biannually by an environmental health officer who is employed by the Hay River Community Health Board.

Mr. Speaker, the Town of Hay River has regulations in place for the safe transportation of water to individual residents through contracted services. The standards in place are very high, and I commend Keith's Water Service for their continued diligence in maintaining such high standards. Mr. Speaker, the water trucks and filling stations are sampled periodically by the owners of the water delivery company, the Town of Hay River, and the environmental health officer.

Mr. Speaker, the Town of Hay River's responsibility for water quality ends when the water is transported to the consumer. Our local environmental health department has indicated that if a homeowner thinks their water tank is contaminated or inadequately clean, the environmental health officer samples the water and sends it out for analysis. In addition, he makes recommendations to the homeowner to minimize potential risk.

Mr. Speaker, when members of the public bring concerns about possible water contamination in their neighbourhood to the environmental health officer, he is not able to act as these are private homes and are not governed under the Public Health Act. Mr. Speaker, the only time that the environmental health officer can intervene in a complaint about water quality is in the case of landlords or rental properties. In this instance, the landlord would have to ensure that the water is safe for his tenants. Mr. Speaker, I have a concern about who is responsible for the end users in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to complete my statement.