15 December 2011

Water resources still at risk despite year-old Water Strategy

December 16th is the one-year anniversary of the release of the provincial water resource management strategy and many Nova Scotians are concerned that the strategy isn’t doing enough to tackle the problems affecting our watersheds. 

Pipes carrying untreated sewage from homes continue to flow directly into the LaHave River and other water courses around the province.  “Even where on-site septic systems are in place, many have not been regularly pumped out or maintained, leading to excessive nutrients in waterways and harmful algal blooms” says Brooke Nodding Executive Director of the Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation. 

“Incentives for upgrading existing septic systems and more stringent regulations need to be in place to ensure all Nova Scotians can enjoy the full benefit provided by our rivers, lakes and groundwater” says Nodding.

Threats to groundwater continue to mount; shale gas extraction through hydraulic fracturing is at the verge of massive industrial expansion yet provincial regulations to protect or monitor groundwater or drinking water in private wells are largely absent. 

“Communities around the province are calling on decision-makers to take water protection more seriously and stop neglecting the health of our watersheds.  The only tool to do this is a Water Act,” says Jocelyne Rankin of the Ecology Action Centre.

A strong Water Act has the potential to make the government more accountable for watershed protection while also supporting economic security.  We need decision-makers to take into account all the benefits from protecting Nova Scotia’s freshwater and see the economic risk in neglecting the health of our watersheds.