The Nova Scotia government unveiled its long-awaited water resource strategy Thursday.

The 29-page "Water for Life" document was billed by Environment Minister Sterling Belliveau as a roadmap for the future of water in Nova Scotia.

The basis of the provincial water strategy is a concept called Integrated Water Management or IWM. The report describes IWM as a comprehensive approach to managing water resources including human activities and their effects on watersheds and ecosystems.

The report commits to the formation of a Nova Scotia Water Advisory Group to work in partnership with government to help implement the strategy.

Among other things, that committee would look at what provincial regulations need to be changed or updated.

By carrying out the strategy, the government says it can:

• improve the understanding of watersheds
• learn how much water we have and how much we are using
• decide how we should continue to protect water
• learn to use water in a way that is both economically and environmentally sustainable

Actions for today and tomorrow

The report's recommendations are broken down in terms of actions for today, and actions for tomorrow. Many focus on conservation and water protection.

Among the more immediate actions outlined are to:

• identify ecologically significant water resources, such as wetlands and critical groundwater recharges areas.
• undertake work to determine what impacts climate change will have on Nova Scotia's water cycle.
• require water conservation plans from large water users
• engage in outreach and partnership activities to promote water stewardship practices for residents to maintain and protect their health and property

Jessica Paterson-McDonald oversaw development of the strategy.

She said the poor financial health of the province was top of mind when developing the recommendations.

"You know, we started three and a half years ago when the financial situation was different, and it certainly has played a role. That's why we do have actions for today that we know we have a budget to do. And then the actions for tomorrow that we know we need to do and we feel we will be doing in the future," said Paterson-McDonald."

Critics, like Fred Wendt with the Ecology Action Centre, said the strategy lacks any key timelines.

"By contrast to the solid waste strategy that was introduced a decade and a half ago, there were some fairly clear targets. The province said here's a list of things we want to keep out of the landfill, here's some waste reduction targets. We don't see that in the water strategy," Wendt said.

The Environment Minister also announced Thursday that Dalhousie University will receive $19,000 to research the health and needs of the 46 watersheds across Nova Scotia.