Protecting Water Quality

Drinking Water Quality

Municipalities across Nova Scotia have made water treatment a priority -- upgrading plants and training operators. Their efforts have resulted in a better protection of the watersheds that feed our drinking supplies and an improvement in the quality of our water. Rawdon Technologies Limited (a partnership among Lynk Electric in Sydney, Trihedral Engineering in Bedford, and ABL Environmental in Dartmouth) is a private company that is helping, with support from the Department of the Environment. Their innovative water treatment systems meet and exceed the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines with technology developed right here in Nova Scotia. A comparison done between municipalities that used imported technology and those that used Rawdon’s resulted in a 65 per cent savings for those that chose local.
Rawdon Technologies is involved in several projects to help make Nova Scotia cleaner and greener. Find out more here.

Environmental Home Assessment Program

Leaking oil tanks, contaminated wells, and malfunctioning septic systems can cause real problems for our soil and water – and for our health. So Nova Scotia Environment came up with the Environmental Home Assessment Program (EHAP) to help owners learn how to properly maintain their well water, septic systems and oil tanks. Along with providing participants with a septic system assessment, a water quality sampling kit and water-saving device program, the program also offers participants a rebate to have their home septic system pumped, and helps qualifying homeowners out with a grant of up to $3,000 to repair or replace failed septic systems. Over 400,000 Nova Scotians depend on private wells and septic systems. So far, more than 2,000 have had an assessment, and 470 grants for system upgrades or replacements have gone out. Visit EHAP to learn more about how it's helping to protect our health and environment.

Septage Treatment

The Septage Treatment Facility Assistance Program helps protect the quality of groundwater and surface water resources by ensuring the proper construction, maintenance and operation of septage treatment and handling facilities.

Depending on the amount of assistance that is requested or awarded, participants may be eligible for up to 50% of costs to a maximum of $100,000 for replacement of septage treatment facilities that cannot be simply upgraded, or for new technologies, and up to 50% of costs to a maximum of $50,000 for improvements to existing septage treatment facilities, including closure.

Aquaculture Environmental Monitoring Program

We all know fish is good for our health. And the Aquaculture Environmental Monitoring Program through the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture makes sure Nova Scotia’s fish farming practices are good for the environment’s health, too. It’s all about creating a sustainable supply, in an environmentally sustainable way. Catch more information here: http://www.gov.ns.ca/fish/aquaculture/EMPSummaryReport.pdf

Coastal Management Framework

The history of our province has long revolved around our coastline. Much of our economy has depended upon it, whether that be fishing, shipping, the navy or tourism. But as endless as it may seem, it is a finite resource that must be used carefully with an eye always on the future. That’s why government has adopted a Coastal Management Framework – the first of its kind in Canada – to provide economic growth along our coast, while protecting the environmental and social qualities it provides that are so vital to Nova Scotia. Want to learn more? Go to: http://www.gov.ns.ca/news/details.asp?id=20080605002

Adopt a Stream

It would be hard to count the number of living organisms that count on our streams and waterways for survival. Fish, birds, animals, plants…and let’s not forget us! That’s why the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture has developed the Adopt-a-Stream program, which helps make Nova Scotia cleaner and greener by providing interested community groups with the guidance and funding to clean up, maintain or rebuild water environments. Want to get involved? Click here: http://www.gov.ns.ca/fish/sportfishing/extension/adopt.shtml

Every Drop Counts

Water is one of our most important natural resources. Find out how Nova Scotia is restoring, preserving and managing our precious water resources at: http://www.gov.ns.ca/nse/water/

Water: Using It Without Losing It

Nova Scotia’s farming community is in a unique position of being both users and stewards of a large portion of our province’s natural capital, including water. The Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture and the agriculture industry, established three Watershed Management Clubs to focus on water quality improvement through a variety of activities. Dip in here.