Province Making Progress on Water for Life Strategy

The province is making progress in its efforts to ensure water is valued and protected.

A progress report released today, March 23, during Canada Water Week, highlights achievements of the first year of Nova Scotia's water resource management strategy, called Water for Life. The strategy was released in December 2010.

"Nova Scotians understand the importance of clean water to our health, our environment and our economy," said Environment Minister Sterling Belliveau. "Through our water resource management strategy, we're taking steps to ensure it is carefully managed and protected."

The Water for Life strategy outlined 29 actions to be completed over 10 years. The progress report groups the actions into three categories focusing on understanding the quality and quantity of our water, protecting our water, and engaging others in caring for our water resources.

The progress report highlights successes to date, including:

• the launch of the Nova Scotia Water Portal website
• enhancing water quality and quantity monitoring networks
• updating drinking water treatment standards
• developing the Nova Scotia Watershed Assessment Program, in partnership with Dalhousie University
• developing a water monitoring field kit and certification program at Saint Mary's University as part of the Community-Based Environmental Monitoring Network
• engaging youth in water stewardship activities around the province

"Water plays a vital role in the lives of Nova Scotians, but not just for our health: it is critically important for our environment and our economy, and contributes in many ways to the quality of life in the province," said Graham Daborn, emeritus professor, Acadia Centre for Estuarine Research, and chair, Nova Scotia Water Advisory Group. "We have made progress since the water strategy was released over a year ago, and we look forward to even greater steps forward in the coming years."

Nova Scotia is home to more than 13,000 kilometres of coastline, thousands of lakes, numerous river systems, wetlands and groundwater resources.

Developing a comprehensive water resources management strategy was a commitment of the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act.

Canada Water Week runs until Sunday, March 25.

For more information on the water strategy progress report or Water for Life, visit www.gov.ns.ca/nse/water .