ARSENIC IN NOVA SCOTIA’S PRIVATE DRINKING WATER WELLS: REDUCING RISK EXPOSURE THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED KNOWLEDGE-TO-ACTION INTERVENTIONS

Arsenic in groundwater is widespread in eastern Canada, with a high natural occurrence in areas of the Meguma geological formation located along the southeastern shores of Nova Scotia. With 45 per cent of households in the province reliant on private well water supply there is a high risk for arsenic exposure and associated long-term health impacts. Analysis of tapwater samples from a selection of homes across the province on a drilled well (n=1600) found 9% to contain arsenic at concentrations above the Health Canada safe guideline level of 10μg/L. Unlike municipal drinking water supply there are no regulatory requirements to cover the quality of drinking water sourced from private wells in Nova Scotia. The onus is on individual households to undertake regular water testing for arsenic and to apply treatment if required. Results of our recent well user survey (n=420) suggest that existing public awareness programs are reaching only a limited audience, with the majority of respondents unaware of the need for regular water quality monitoring for arsenic. Reported constraints to risk-averting action are the invisibility of arsenic, which has no noticeable taste, smell or colour, lack of access to testing facilities and complexity of treatment options. Reducing arsenic risk exposure in the province urgently requires more integrated and targeted programs to engage citizens and regulatory agencies in the co-provision of safe private well water supply. In addressing this challenge we outline how a community-based knowledge-to-action (KTA) approach, involving multiple stakeholders in program design and targeted implementation, can build capacity for sustained well water stewardship in Nova Scotia.