Nova Scotia's Groundwater Levels Now Online

Private well owners, farmers, researchers, and all Nova Scotians can now go online to track groundwater levels near their homes or businesses.

A groundwater monitoring system called the Nova Scotia Observation Well Network is available on the Department of Environment and Labour's website.

"This innovation allows people using groundwater as a water supply to monitor trends in water table changes so they'll be more aware of groundwater conditions in their area," said Mark Parent, Minister of Environment and Labour.

Almost half the population of Nova Scotia relies on groundwater for its water supply.

The Observation Well Network allows Environment and Labour officials to assess groundwater conditions, evaluate the impact of human activities on groundwater, and assess long-term trends related to issues such as climate change.

The network records groundwater levels and groundwater quality information.

Electronic units at 23 observation wells throughout the province record water levels every hour. The information is transmitted automatically by cellphone to a central computer system in Halifax.

An online digital graph is regularly updated to show groundwater levels at each of the sites compared with previous levels in those locations.

Water samples are also collected from the wells periodically to test groundwater chemistry. The wells are visited about every six months for field verification.

To view water level data from the Nova Scotia Observation Well Network see the website at www.gov.ns.ca/enla/water/groundwater/groundwaternetwork.asp .