Nova Scotians Observe World Water Day

Nova Scotians can observe World Water Day, today, March 22, knowing they have some of the cleanest, safest drinking water in the world.

The United Nations has proclaimed 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade for Action, Water for Life. It begins with World Water Day, which has been observed on March 22 each year since 1993.

"Clean drinking water is essential to every Nova Scotian and we're fortunate to live in a part of the world where it's generally available," said Environment and Labour Minister Kerry Morash. "But we don't have an endless supply and we must keep what we have clean. That's why we've implemented nearly all the commitments in our provincial drinking water strategy, and we're on target to meet the rest by spring."

Mr. Morash said the strategy is being successfully implemented because governments, businesses and individual citizens are taking their responsibilities seriously to protect water -- from the source to the tap. Harland Wyand, president of the Municipal Public Works Association of Nova Scotia, agrees.

"Members of our association recognize the importance of safe drinking water and endorse the province's leadership with the strategy," said Mr. Wyand. "We've worked closely with the province to implement this strategy and we're committed to continuing this collaborative approach to delivering safe drinking water to Nova Scotians."

The three-year provincial drinking water strategy was launched in October 2002. It outlined an action plan which focused on source protection, water treatment and system operation, and monitoring and testing.

Since then, the majority of the commitments have been met. They include preparing and circulating educational materials for municipal and other public water supply owners, and for private well owners; a drinking water surveillance program; more training for facility operators; and establishing a renewal process for water supply operating approvals.

The province is on target to meet the remaining three commitments by spring. The department will develop an educational campaign for private well owners. All municipalities will have treatment and operational strategies in place. They will also be developing water supply protection strategies this spring for implementation in the fall.

Implementation of the strategy is overseen by a committee of representatives from the Department of Environment and Labour and six other departments that play a role in water quality or management. The other departments are Agriculture and Fisheries, Health, Natural Resources, Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, Tourism, Culture and Heritage, and Transportation and Public Works.

This committee is now identifying the next steps for continuously improving management of all water resources in Nova Scotia.

More information about the strategy is available at www.gov.ns.ca/enla/water . More information about World Water Day is available at www.worldwaterday.org .