Rain welcome but plenty more needed

While it’s been good to see some rain during the past two weeks, it will take a lot more precipitation to get water levels back up to where they should be, a provincial EMO official said.

“Today’s rain is not going to do a lot,” said Steve Mills of EMO Nova Scotia, speaking to Argyle municipal council. “It helps a little.”

Given that rainfall in this part of the province throughout the summer was about 250 millimetres less than normal this year, he said it would take several storms to make up for the shortfall.

Meanwhile, efforts to help people affected by the drought continue.

In the Municipality of Argyle, for example, drinking and nondrinking water is available at various locations, as are public shower facilities at a number of sites. (The municipality can provide details as to the help that’s available.)

As a short-term response to the water situation, the municipality has secured a 60,000-litre tanker.

“While East Pubnico and Wedgeport (fire departments) would be unlikely to need it, the central fire departments saw it as an opportunity to move water to their people,” said a report prepared for Argyle council.

The municipality’s EMO also has secured nine 5,000-litre water pillow tanks to help fire departments provide residents with non-potable water.

Medium- and long-term measures also are being discussed, including the idea of drilling public wells, a proposal raised during a recent meeting with fire chiefs from the Argyle municipality.

Setting up showers and/or washing machines in strategic locations also was discussed during the session with fire department reps, council was told.

Mills, of the provincial EMO, said there are assets available that could help with showers and laundry. It would be a matter of determining the need for such measures, he said.

“It’ll really depend on Mother Nature and how long this goes,” he said.

In the Municipality of Barrington, chief administrative officer Rob Frost said last week’s rain was “a start,” but, like Mills, he said a good deal more is needed. If nothing else, he said, it perhaps is an indication that the worst of this year’s drought is over.

Frost said, “if we can get rain this week and then maybe a bit more in the next couple of weeks, hopefully that’ll get us back to somewhat normal before it gets too cold.”

The municipality found it wasn’t getting as many calls from people looking for help, Frost said, adding, however, that the municipality continues to try to make sure everyone has what they need.

Meanwhile, Argyle council member Richard Donaldson said he has been impressed with how people have been coming to the aid of others.

“Neighbours helping neighbours,” he said, “there’s a lot of that going on.”