Ottawa first introduced these regulations 60 years ago, and now the Canadian government is laying out stricter guidelines on clean water aboard planes, trains and passenger ships to ensure safety and to abide by the latest industry standards.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is looking to lower the number of cases of illnesses among travellers in Canada, which in turn, may contribute to reducing health care costs. Operators will still have the option to offer prepackaged water bottles and ice, however, if they want to offer tap water, it now must be subject to testing on a routine basis. Also, disinfecting and flushing of portable water systems will be required should the water or portable water system be contaminated or suspected of contamination.
These new changes will not have an effect on the cost of travel for the consumer and will not be fully enforced until 2015, however, many airlines have already begun to adopt these new changes.
Featured images: Steven Depolo
