Produced with the support of The Pembina Institute, Keepers of Athabasca, Environmental Defence, Sierra Club and many more, this report contains scientific, non-governmental and First Nations communites' content presented at federal hearings earlier in 2009 about impacts on Canada's water resources from oil sands activity.

The oilsands pollute freshwater sources for people along the Athebascan River and its tributaries from Fort Chipewyan all the way up to Yellowknife and the Arctic Ocean. This pollution has the potential to contaminate the entire Mackenzie River Basin. The report indicates 10 areas where Canada's Government has failed to: enforce water diversion standards; regulate toxic pollution; prosecute leaking tailing ponds; and also failed to implement oilsands specific legislation.

Watered Down recommends that the Government of Canada use its legislative responsibility to regulate the oilsands industry, especially its impacts on freshwater resources and aquatic ecosystems.