Province Releases Drinking Water Strategy

A comprehensive strategy to manage and protect Nova Scotia's drinking water was released in Antigonish today, Oct. 17, by David Morse, Minister of Environment and Labour. It is the first water management strategy ever developed for the province.

The strategy outlines a three-year action plan to conserve and protect Nova Scotia's drinking water through a three-step process

• source protection, water treatment and system operation, and monitoring and testing. Some of the new initiatives include the renewal of operating approvals for all municipal water systems, the development of a due diligence handbook for municipal councillors and other water utility owners and the development of new educational materials for private well owners.

"Whether your drinking water arrives to your tap from a private well or through a municipal system, this strategy is just one in a series of steps we have taken to manage the resource wisely," said Mr. Morse.

Recent provincial drinking-water-related activities include the creation of a system for tracking boil water advisories, federal/provincial funding for municipalities to build or upgrade water-treatment facilities and the hiring of 14 additional staff with water expertise, including four hydrogeologists.

Mr. Morse said the strategy is based on the concept that all Nova Scotians must share in the protection and conservation of drinking water.

"To implement this strategy, we will be working very closely with all the municipalities and the managers of their water utilities," said Mr. Morse. "This is very much a collaborative, team effort, because the responsibility for protecting our water resources is shared among all governments, industries and individuals."

Angus MacIsaac, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, reiterated the focus on partnerships. He noted that through federal and provincial co-operation, more than $94 million has been provided to municipalities since the fall of 2000 for infrastructure improvements to more than 61 water- treatment and wastewater-treatment facilities.

"The Canada/Nova Scotia Infrastructure Program is an ideal complement to our provincial water strategy because the first priority under the program is effective wastewater management and safe drinking water," said Mr. MacIsaac.

Both the Town and the Municipality of Antigonish were recipients of infrastructure program funding. The municipality received $975,000 toward the construction of a wastewater collection and treatment system in Pomquet, and the town received $4.5 million for a new water-treatment facility in James River.

The provincial drinking water strategy builds on current legislation and on the province's multiple-barrier water- treatment process -- a combination of management principles and engineered systems designed to help block contaminates from getting through the drinking water system.

Implementation of the strategy will be overseen by a new Inter- Departmental Drinking Water Management Committee, which includes senior representatives from six government departments in addition to Environment and Labour: Agriculture and Fisheries, Health, Natural Resources, Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, Tourism and Culture, and Transportation and Public Works. Each department participating on the committee has a role in some aspect of water quality or management in the province.

"The new drinking water committee will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the strategy and for amending it as needed to ensure that it stays current," said the minister.

The committee's first meeting is expected to be held in November.