Water for Life: Nova Scotia’s water resource

management strategy

Presentation to the Construction & Maintenance January 25, 20113rd Annual Regulatory Change Industry Briefing

Water is essential for life and will be valued, kept safe and shared.

~ Guiding vision for the water strategy

What do we mean by water resources?

• According to the Environment Act (1995)

water resources include all fresh and marine waters that comprise all surface water, groundwater and coastal water.

Why do we need a strategy?

• water is fundamental to our economy

• preparing for the future

• conservation and sustainability

• shifts in population

• economics and investing for the future

• overlapping government jurisdictions

Why do we need a water strategy?

• understanding of watersheds and how they work

• how much water we have and are using

• how to continue to protect water

• economically and environmentally sustainable use of water

• guidance for government decision-making

What are we trying to achieve?

Elements of the Water Strategy

• 10 year time-frame

• Focused on commitments and actions for achieving vision and goals of strategy

• Core commitment -Integrated Water Management (IWM)

Actions of the strategy

• to better understand the quality and quantity of water

• to protect the quality and quantity of water

• to engage in caring for our water

• to integrate water management across sectors and government

Actions for today, actions for tomorrow

Directions for the future

Integrated water management

• build capacity within water programs to support IWM

• share resources and information with partners

• establish a Nova Scotia Water Advisory Group (NSWAG)

• consider economic, social and environmental value of water in decision making

• renew policies to enhance capacity for IWM

Understand

• sharing /receiving information

• water-monitoring networks

• ID ecologically significant water resources

• assess surface and groundwater in watersheds

• improve knowledge through working with others

• determine impacts of climate change on NS’s water cycle

Protect

• water conservation plans

• allocation of water in times of emergency

• protection of drinking water sources

• drinking water/wastewater standards

• use of setbacks from fresh/coastal waters

• water values in parks and protected areas

• water quality standards for fresh/coastal waters

Protect

• storm water management and sediment control guidance

• Nova Scotia building code updates for water conservation and efficiency

• conservation/restoration of sensitive ecosystems

• rural water quality

Engage

• community water monitoring capacity• engaging youth in water stewardship• national water efficiency labelling standards• residential home and property

education/outreach materials• forum on water management• recognition program for water

stewardship• assistance for water stewardship projects• promote water-wise business practices

Implementation

• Interdepartmental committee to oversee

• Partnerships, incentives, review of existing programs will help determine additional opportunties for action

• External stakeholder advisory group to assist with implementing IWM and strategy

• Regular reporting

• Continued discussion and consultation with First Nations, stakeholders and goverments

Current / Recent actions

• toolkits for community water quality monitoring

• improved access to groundwater information

• water supply evaluations for HRM

• community groundwater monitoring

• preliminary assessment of watersheds

www.sterlinglab.ca

Thank you!

Jessica Paterson McDonald, Water Strategy Coordinatorpatersjm@gov.ns.ca