Free Annual Well-Water Testing Program

Summary#

This bill would require the Nova Scotia Health Authority to offer free testing of well water at least once a year to residents who use well water for drinking or bathing. The testing panel is wide and covers bacteria, metals, minerals, and other water quality measures. The program would run only if the Legislature approves money for it.

• Offers free annual well-water testing to all residents who use a well for drinking or bathing.
• Tests for E. coli and total coliform bacteria, plus many substances such as lead, arsenic, uranium, manganese, fluoride, nitrate, and more.
• Includes common water measures like pH, hardness, colour, turbidity (cloudiness), and total dissolved solids.
• The Health Authority must provide the service, but only if the Province sets aside funding.

What it means for you#

• Households on wells

  • You could get your well water tested for free at least once a year through the Nova Scotia Health Authority.
  • The test would check for germs and harmful metals and give a full picture of your water’s safety and quality.
  • You would likely need to collect a sample and drop it off; details would be set by the Health Authority.
  • If problems are found, you would still be responsible for fixing them (for example, treatment systems). The bill does not cover repairs or filters.
  • If you currently pay a lab or a private company, you could avoid those fees.

• Renters on wells

  • You could access a free test, even if your landlord owns the well.
  • The bill does not set rules about who must fix issues; that would still follow existing tenant–landlord rules.

• People on municipal water

  • No change. This bill is only for people who use well water.

• Everyone

  • The service depends on provincial funding. If the Legislature does not fund it in the budget, the program may not run.

Expenses#

Estimated annual cost: No publicly available information.

• The program would need provincial funding to pay for lab analysis, staff, supplies, and sample handling.
• Total cost would depend on how many residents use well water and how many tests are done each year.
• The bill does not create a fund for fixing contaminated wells; it only pays for testing.

Proponents' View#

• Improves public health by finding bacteria and harmful metals early, before people get sick.
• Makes routine testing affordable for rural and lower-income households who may skip testing due to cost.
• Encourages best practices, since public health guidance already recommends regular well testing.
• Provides province-wide data that can help target advice and resources where water issues are common.
• The test list is comprehensive and includes substances known to occur naturally in some Nova Scotia groundwater, such as arsenic and uranium.

Opponents' View#

• Could be costly for taxpayers if offered every year to all well users across the province.
• The Health Authority and public labs may lack capacity, leading to delays or backlogs.
• Broad eligibility (“drinking or bathing”) could drive high demand, including repeat tests for the same wells, stretching resources.
• Testing alone does not fix unsafe water; without help for treatment or upgrades, the health impact may be limited.
• Funding is not guaranteed each year, so the program might raise expectations that cannot be met if budgets are tight.