| #Q001 | administrative | unknown | guidance | Use of Recreational Water Guidelines | recreational water | Provincial and territorial governments can use these guidelines to develop their own recommendations. | | high |
| #Q002 | operational | operational | unknown | Federal Government Responsibilities | recreational water | The federal government also manages recreational water areas on federal lands, such as national parks. | Applies to recreational water areas on federal lands. | high |
| #Q003 | administrative | operational | unknown | Provincial and Territorial Government Responsibilities | recreational water | Provincial and territorial governments set the requirements for managed recreational areas in their jurisdictions. These include: monitoring, water quality standards, responding to adverse events | Applies to managed recreational areas within their respective jurisdictions. | high |
| #Q004 | operational | operational | unknown | Municipal Responsibilities | recreational water | Municipalities oversee the day-to-day operations of managed recreational water areas. This includes: water quality sampling, communicating results, issuing swimming advisories | | high |
| #Q005 | design | operational | recommended | Annual EHSS Conduct | recreational water | An EHSS should be conducted on an annual basis, just before the start of the swimming season. | Should be conducted just before the start of the swimming season. | high |
| #Q006 | design | operational | recommended | Monitoring Plan Development | recreational water | Using the data from the EHSS, a well-structured and documented monitoring plan should be developed. | Requires data from the EHSS. | high |
| #Q007 | monitoring | health | guidance | Primary Contact Sampling Frequency | recreational water | In general, recreational areas used for primary contact activities are monitored for fecal indicators (such as E. coli or enterococci) at a minimum frequency of one sampling event per week during the swimming season. | Applies to primary contact activity areas during the swimming season. | high |
| #Q008 | operational | health | recommended | Fecal Source Identification | recreational water | Responsible authorities are encouraged to identify the sources of fecal contamination impacting a recreational water area to aid in public health decisions and to inform remediation prioritization to improve water quality. | | high |
| #Q009 | corrective_action | health | recommended | BAV Exceedance Actions | recreational water | If E. coli or enterococci concentrations exceed the established BAVs, this should trigger actions. | Applies when concentrations exceed established beach action values. | high |
| #Q010 | reporting | health | recommended | Planktonic Bloom Advisory | recreational water | A swimming/contact advisory should be issued as a precaution. | Where a planktonic bloom has developed, or the guideline value for total microcystins is exceeded. | high |
| #Q011 | reporting | health | recommended | Swimmer's Itch Warning Signs | recreational water | Warning signs should be posted in recreational water areas where cases of swimmer's itch have been reported. | Applies when cases of cercarial dermatitis have been reported. | high |
| #Q012 | administrative | operational | recommended | Laboratory Analysis Direction | recreational water | All collection procedures and laboratory analyses should be carried out as directed by the responsible authority. | | high |
| #Q013 | corrective_action | health | recommended | Physical Hazard Management | recreational water | Check for hazards in the water and on the beach, remove hazards or post warnings, when required. | Applicable when physical hazards (litter, shells, sharp rocks, strong currents) are present. | high |
| #Q014 | monitoring | health | recommended | Benthic Mat Visual Assessment | recreational water | In clear shallow areas, the presence of benthic mats should be visually assessed. | Applicable in clear shallow areas to identify toxin exposure risk. | high |
| #Q015 | reporting | health | recommended | Benthic Mat Public Advisory | recreational water | In areas where benthic mats can be reached, individuals should be advised to avoid these areas, including keeping pets away from the impacted areas. | Applicable when benthic mats are present and accessible. | high |
| #Q016 | reporting | health | recommended | Advisory Duration Condition | recreational water | Once issued, an advisory should remain in place until the associated health risk has returned to an acceptable level. | Applies after a swimming/contact advisory has been issued. | high |
| #Q017 | operational | health | recommended | Preventive Risk Management Implementation | recreational water | To reduce the risk of human exposure to both enteric and non-enteric pathogens, a preventive risk management approach should be implemented. | | high |
| #Q018 | administrative | operational | recommended | Pathogen Laboratory Qualifications | recreational water | If testing is necessary, it should be conducted by qualified staff in laboratories with proper biosafety level, design, equipment, and procedures. | Applies if testing for pathogenic microorganisms is required. | high |
| #Q019 | design | health | guidance | Cyanobacteria Management Plan Development | recreational water | Areas that are at greater risk for cyanobacteria impacts may need a cyanobacteria management plan in place. | Applicable to areas identified as being at greater risk for cyanobacteria impacts. | high |
| #Q020 | administrative | health | guidance | Secondary Contact Guidelines Development | recreational water | For recreational water areas that are used solely for secondary contact activities, responsible authorities may choose to develop secondary contact guidelines. | Applies to recreational water areas used solely for secondary contact activities. | high |
| #Q021 | prohibition | unknown | guidance | Prohibition on Unauthorized Aquatic Plant Removal | recreational water | Actions that involve trying to remove these organisms from natural waters or to treat them using pesticides may be harmful to the aquatic environment and are discouraged. These actions may also be illegal in some jurisdictions. | Applies to the removal or chemical treatment of aquatic vascular plants and algae. | high |
| #Q022 | operational | health | recommended | Core Body Temperature Safety Guideline | recreational water | Avoid recreating for time-temperature combinations that appreciably increase or decrease core body temperature. | Applicable to all recreational water users; immersion in water ≤ 15 °C is noted as potentially life-threatening. | high |
| #Q023 | operational | health | recommended | UVR and Heat Exposure Protection | recreational water | Avoid overexposure to UVR and protect yourself from excessive heat. | Applicable during recreational activities involving exposure to sunlight and high temperatures. | high |
| #Q024 | operational | health | recommended | Beach User Conduct and Hygiene | recreational water | Beach users can also do their part by properly disposing of litter, using available facilities for hygiene practices, and complying with beach regulations or codes of conduct. | | high |
| #Q025 | prohibition | health | recommended | Planktonic Bloom Activity Avoidance | recreational water | Primary contact activities in recreational waters should be avoided where a planktonic bloom has developed, or the guideline value for total microcystins is exceeded. | Applicable when a planktonic bloom is present or total microcystins exceed 10 μg/L | high |
| #Q026 | administrative | reporting | recommended | Technical Document Consultation | recreational water | the individual guideline technical documents should be consulted for the most current and complete information. | | high |
| #Q027 | monitoring | health | recommended | Chemical Contaminant Case-by-Case Assessment | recreational water | Assess [organic and inorganic chemicals] on a case-by-case basis, taking local factors into account. | Applicable when organic or inorganic chemical contaminants are suspected or identified | high |
| #Q028 | administrative | operational | recommended | Biological Hazard Further Guidance | recreational water | The responsible authority should be contacted for further guidance on these subjects [jellyfish, leech "bites", sea urchins and mussel shells] where necessary. | Applicable when hazards other than pathogens or plants (e.g. jellyfish) interfere with safe water use | high |
| #Q029 | monitoring | aesthetic | guideline | Aesthetic Oil and Grease Standard | recreational water | Oil and grease: None visible. Extensive visible film, sheen or discoloration on the surface, or detectable by sight or odour as deposits on shorelines and bottom sediments make water aesthetically unattractive. | | high |
| #Q030 | reporting | health | mandatory | Public Information Access Requirement | recreational water | The public also need access to information on the recreational water areas they are visiting, including any existing water quality hazards and the steps they can take to protect themselves. | | high |
| #Q031 | reporting | reporting | recommended | Geometric Mean Trend Analysis | recreational water | Summarizing fecal indicator data using geometric means is recommended for looking at water quality trends. | | high |
| #Q032 | monitoring | health | recommended | Cyanobacteria Risk Management Integration | recreational water | This monitoring should be included as part of the overall risk management plan for a recreational water area. | Applicable to cyanobacteria monitoring and risk identification | high |
| #Q033 | monitoring | operational | guidance | Seasonal EHSS Survey Updates | recreational water | Shortened surveys may also be carried out throughout the swimming season to help interpret monitoring results. | During the swimming season | high |
| #Q034 | monitoring | operational | guidance | Cyanobacteria Monitoring Prioritization | recreational water | Responsible authorities can use criteria to identify the areas that are at greater risk for bloom formation. This information is then used to prioritize areas for monitoring and to determine a monitoring approach. | Applies to cyanobacteria management strategy | high |
| #Q035 | monitoring | aesthetic | guideline | Aesthetic Litter Standard | recreational water | Litter: None visible. Floating debris may be aesthetically unappealing, pose a safety hazard, and may settle to form objectionable deposits. | | high |
| #Q036 | monitoring | aesthetic | guideline | Aesthetic Colour Standard | recreational water | Colour: Should not impede visibility. Intense colour can impede visibility in areas used for primary contact activities | | high |
| #Q037 | monitoring | aesthetic | guideline | Aesthetic Water Clarity Standard | recreational water | Clarity: Not significantly decreased compared to background values. Individuals engaged in primary contact activities need to be able to estimate depth and see subsurface hazards. | | high |
| #Q038 | monitoring | health | guideline | pH Range Recommendation | recreational water | pH: 5.0 – 11.0. pH values outside this range may cause skin and eye irritation. | Most natural waters have pH ranges from 4.0 to 9.0, therefore some natural waters may fall outside the recommended pH range. | high |