Bill 124: Prevention of Drinking Water Contamination Act

This bill affects a broad range of Nova Scotia businesses that handle, store, or dispose of materials containing PFAS — including manufacturers, industrial facilities, firefighting training operations, dry cleaners, agricultural operations using certain pesticides or biosolids, and waste management companies. Any business whose day-to-day operations involve PFAS-containing products (such as certain firefighting foams, industrial coatings, or chemical treatments) will need to ensure their waste handling and disposal practices do not risk contaminating nearby water sources or waterways. Even smaller operators like drycleaners or small-scale manufacturers could be caught by this law if they improperly dispose of PFAS waste. The risk is province-wide across Nova Scotia, and the law applies regardless of business size — a solo operator faces the same legal exposure as a large industrial employer.