Exploring Solutions for Sustainable Rural Drinking Water Systems: a study of rural Newfoundland & Labrador drinking water sytems

Abstract

The Exploring Solutions for Sustainable Rural Drinking Water Systems project was initiated in late February 2013 with funding from the Harris Centre – RBC Water Research and Outreach Fund. This project focused on communities of 1,000 residents or less in rural Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) and the unique challenges these communities face concerning their drinking water systems. The project also explored appropriate solutions to identified challenges. The scope of this interdisciplinary project was large, exploring four main components of drinking water systems: 1) source water quality and quantity; 2) infrastructure and operations; 3) public perceptions, awareness and demand; and 4) policy and governance. Though these components have been identified as separate in this project for the purposes of analysis and presentation of research findings, it is important to acknowledge that these aspects of drinking water systems are interrelated. Additionally, challenges faced by rural NL communities are often interconnected, cumulative and complex, interacting in sometimes unexpected ways. The search for effective potential solutions must take these interactions into account.