Government agencies at the community, territorial, and federal levels have an important role to play in ensuring the quality of drinking water in the Northwest Territories (NWT). Managing Drinking Water Quality in the Northwest Territories outlines a safe drinking water framework and strategy for the NWT, based on a review of other Canadian jurisdictions and the specific needs of the NWT. Together the framework and strategy provide a preventative system to safeguard NWT drinking water, and ultimately contribute to the health of Northwest Territories residents.

The framework is a multiple-barrier approach, calling for three major lines of defence to protect drinking water. They are 1) Keeping NWT Water Clean; 2) Making Drinking Water Safe; and 3) Proving Drinking Water Is Safe. The use of multiple barriers means that if one barrier fails, there are back-up systems and processes in place to protect the safety of drinking water.

The strategy identifies the specific barriers which comprise the multiple-barrier approach of the framework. It further outlines the actions associated with each barrier, a general timeframe for implementation, and the government agencies involved.