GOAL

To protect the quality of drinking water within municipal water supply watersheds.

BASIS

A safe supply of drinking water is a basic requirement for all Nova Scotians.

Inappropriate development in municipal water supply watersheds may threaten the quality of drinking water.

Some water supply watersheds are located outside the municipality using the water. The municipality depending on the water therefore has no direct means of protecting its supply.

APPLICATION

This statement applies to all municipal water supply watersheds in the Province including surface watersheds and groundwater recharge areas.

PROVISIONS

1. Planning documents must identify all municipal water supply watersheds within the planning area.



2. Planning documents must address the protection of drinking water in municipal water supply watersheds. Measures that should be considered include



1. restricting permitted uses to those that do not pose a threat to drinking water quality;



2. balancing the expansion of existing uses against the risks posed to drinking water quality;



3. limiting the number of lots. Too many lots may result in development which cumulatively affects drinking water quality. The minimum size of lots and density of development should be balanced against the risks posed to the quality of drinking water;



4. setting out separation distances between new development and watercourses to provide protection from run-off;



5. establishing measures to reduce erosion, sedimentation, run-off and vegetation removal associated with development.



3. Existing land use and the location, size and soil conditions of a municipal water supply watershed will determine the land-use controls that should be applied. Large surface watersheds, for example, may be able to sustain more development than a small groundwater recharge area.


It is recognized that in some situations the long-term protection of the drinking water supply may be impractical. In these cases planning documents must address the reasons why the water supply cannot be protected. Municipalities in this situation should consider locating an alternate source of drinking water where longterm protective measures can be applied.


4. The Province supports the preparation of watershed management strategies for all municipal water supply watersheds. These strategies should be prepared by the concerned municipalities and the municipal water utility, in consultation with all affected parties, including landowners.