Exploring appropriate business models for establishment of water quality monitoring service in Newfoundland and Labrador

• Main Author: Thomson, Kalen K.
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 2017
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/12545/; https://research.library.mun.ca/12545/1/thesis.pdf

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador regularly tests public drinking water supplies to ensure the absence of contaminants. Private water supplies, including wells, fall outside the mandate of this testing regime. Over 50,000 wells are estimated to be in Newfoundland and Labrador servicing approximately one-fifth of the population. Having identified this service gap, the following thesis seeks to explore two main objectives: to assess and articulate the potential public health risk, and to explore business models for the establishment of a water quality monitoring service. A mixed-methods approach is taken, employing both qualitative data from interviews with health experts, municipal representatives, laboratory professionals and private well owners, and quantitative data in the form of a model for the potential exposure risk, and financial models exploring solutions. The result is a high-level business approach exploring the service gap in water quality monitoring for private well owners in Newfoundland and Labrador.