Wells drying up in Yarmouth County

It's only early July and already there is concern over low and dry wells in Yarmouth County. So far the problem isn't only a lack of rain, but also fewer available options to access bulk water.

A water dispensary site owned by the Town of Yarmouth from its Lake George water reservoir in Breton, Yarmouth County, is closed.

Initially it was closed because of COVID-19 but it remains closed over traffic safety concerns.

Although in the past Yarmouth County residents could purchase tokens to access water here, the town says logistically the small physical layout of the site was never designed for lineups of traffic that can get backed up on the main road during times of drought conditions.

The town is working on a safer bulk water station option better suited to accommodating the public. It would be located at the town's business park, which is located off Forest Street and Haley Road. There is land available and plans are being looked at. It's unlikely the station would be available before the fall.

Another access option being looked at is the Mariners Centre, which isn't as straight forward as previous years since the facility remains closed because of COVID. The Mariners Centre board is in the process of reopening the facility. The town's Water Utility — as it has done in the past — has granted permission to dispense water at the Mariners Centre when the facility is open and a service can be accommodated. The town notes the installation of a backflow valve and new metre is needed to accurately measure the amount of water going through that service.

Official requests for water access availability will also be needed from neighbouring municipal units.

Still, future options aren’t of much help for people facing a water crunch now.

Jeff Trask, a resident of Sandford, Yarmouth County, says the situation is already dire for many people living in the Municipality of Yarmouth. Trask says in the past residents have always been granted access to the town’s dispensary in Breton.

“We haul water all the time, last summer and the summer before. When we had that really bad drought I can’t even count the amount of times we hauled water. A friend and I hauled, between his house and my house ... every three days, (we were) taking two to three loads each.”

Trask can’t understand why it’s been OK for residents to use the dispensary in the past but not now.

Even with conserving water, setting up buckets to capture whatever rain does fall, using the laundromat, etc., Trask’s well was already quite low by the end of June. He knows of many in a similar situation.

“A friend of mine in Wedgeport, he’s at two feet. A friend in Hebron, he’s almost dry. Friends of mine in Rockville, they’re out,” Trask said when interviewed last week.

There are commercial haulers who deliver water but Trask says that is expensive and something not everyone can afford. Following a severe recent drought, there was also an upgrade lending program set up to help residents secure financing for loans of up to $10,000 to upgrade wells but Trask notes this is also an expensive option.

“I think of people on fixed incomes. If you can’t afford to get a load of water for $200, you can’t afford another extra cost per month,” he said.

According to Environment Canada, Yarmouth saw around 16.3 mm of precipitation in June. That compared to 204.2 mm in June 2019.

In May of this year the amount of precipitation was 73.9 mm.

The water situation is one being monitored by the regional emergency management co-ordinator. A survey was going to be used to help gather data from residents about their water and access situations.

There was also some water discussion at the June 24 meeting of Yarmouth Municipal Council. The municipality is exploring the possibility of setting up water access.

“We’re in the process of doing some research to develop a staff report to council. The initiative is around whether or not the municipality might want to consider putting in a couple of community wells,” CAO Victoria Brooks told council.

Deputy Warden John Cunningham asked about the option of locating something at the municipally owned business park in Hebron. Brooks said part of the research they are gathering will include seeking permission from the town’s water utility for permission to access water at this potential site and also checking with the Department of Environment for any requirements. Cunningham said he’s been fielding a lot of calls from residents who need access to water.

There is a hydrant located in the back of the fire hall on Pleasant Street in the town that in the past large commercial customers, including water haulers, such as Paul’s Water Service, have been able to use. Those who accessed water have paid for it. But the town says members of the public started availing themselves to water there for free, which was never the intention, so access has been shut down to noncommercial purposes.

Access to the town’s water supply is not free — not to residents, not to commercial users and not even to the town itself. Although the water utility is owned by the town, it’s a separate corporation. So even when the town uses water at the town hall, that water goes through a metre and the town writes a cheque to the utility. The only time water is given away for free is when it is used to fight fires.

There are almost 3,000 connected customers to the town’s water supply, which includes residents and businesses in the town, some in the Municipality of Yarmouth and the Acadia First Nation reserve.

Because town residents already have access to water and aren’t on wells, the station the town sets up in its business park would be to help residents living outside of the town.