Over the past five years, the Ontario government has enacted several drinking water regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act (2002). Ontario Regulation (O. Reg.) 128/04 under this Act requires that all persons operating drinking water systems have the necessary skills and knowledge to treat or supply safe drinking water to the public consumer.

The regulation requires mandatory licensing of water works operators, with auditable requirements for operator training that include certified training programs with defined learning objectives and measurable results. For a new person in the field—an operator-in-training (OIT)— completion of a formal training course is required, along with on-the-job practical training. In order for existing operators to maintain their licenses, the regulation requires a minimum number of hours of continuing education and on-the-job practical training, depending on the complexity of the system being operated.

This paper proposes a distance education model that could facilitate proper training and sustained competency for operators, not only in the more densely populated areas of southern Ontario, but also in more remote locations in northern Ontario. Issues to be reviewed include provincial agency relationships, operator training requirements, the reality of distance education within the drinking water industry, and culminating in the implementation of a proposed distance education division at the Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC).