Halifax Water Regulations

Laws, guidelines & specifications for use and maintenance of Halifax Water's systems

Current Halifax Water Regulations

The Halifax Water Regulations, as laid out by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB), applies to both the public's use (residential and business) of Halifax Water's systems, including water, wastewater and stormwater, as well as Halifax Water's operation and maintenance of these systems.

View the current Halifax Water Regulations

2022 General Rate Application

During the 2022 General Rate Application, the NSUARB approved changes to the Halifax Water Regulations. Typically there are a number of changes made during general rate applications, and this version is being provided to allow easy access to the public to that version. 

Please refer to the Current Halifax Water Regulations in the section above for an up to date version.

Environmental Policy

As stewards of the environment, Halifax Water understands its responsibility to protect and enhance our environment, today and into the future:

Regulatory Compliance

Regulatory compliance is an adherence to laws, regulations, guidelines and specifications relevant to a business.

Halifax Water provides compliance monitoring of the drinking water and wastewater systems operated by Halifax Water.

Samples are collected weekly from:

  • 17 sites in the Halifax drinking water system
  • 10 sites in the Bedford-Sackville system
  • 24 sites in the Dartmouth drinking water system
  • 16 additional sites in smaller community water systems

Treated effluent is also sampled from the 15 sewage treatment plants owned and operated by Halifax Water, as well as from 3 additional sewage treatment facilities operated by Halifax Water but owned by other agencies.

All samples are analyzed by certified laboratories external to Halifax Water. Results are compared to the requirements of the provincial operating Approvals for each facility issued by NS Environment, and reported to NS Environment. Wastewater results are also reported to Environment Canada under the federal Wastewater System Effluent Regulations.