The department has produced the following documents to guide departmental programs and processes in order to protect and manage surface waters in a consistent and sustainable way.

Guidelines

• Guide to Surface Water Withdrawal Approvals (PDF: 102k)
• CCME Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines (CEQG)
• Erosion & Sedimentation Control Handbook for Construction Sites (PDF: 4.3mb)
• User’s Manual for Prediction of Phosphorus Concentrations in NS Lakes: A Tool for Decision Making version 1.0 (PDF: 1.5mb)

Standards

• Atlantic Canada Standards and Guidelines Manual for the Management and Disposal of Sewage (PDF)

Policies

• Storm Drainage Works Approval Policy (PDF: 99k)

Strategies

• Drinking Water Strategy (PDF: 1.2mb)
• Drinking Water Strategy... A Drinking Water Strategy for Nova Scotia - Final Report (PDF: 399k)
• Water Resources Strategy