Antigonish water conservation measures continue as reservoir level drops

The Town of Antigonish is asking residents to continue conserving water as the level of the town’s reservoir continues to fall, with mandatory restrictions potentially just days away if dry conditions persist.

Mayor Sean Cameron says the reservoir has stopped spilling over and, as of Tuesday, the water level is about 16 to 18 inches below the top of the dam.

The Town remains under voluntary water conservation measures, which have been in place since July 30. Mandatory restrictions would come into effect when the reservoir drops one metre below the top of the dam.

Cameron says the community is currently about halfway to that threshold.

“With no foreseeable water in the future, we’ll be probably in mandatory within a week,” Cameron says.

The reservoir itself is about 44 feet tall and can hold up to 117 million litres of water, or approximately 25.7 million gallons. Cameron explains that as the water level drops, the reservoir becomes narrower, meaning the amount of water being used represents a greater reduction in depth as the level gets lower.

That is why the Town is encouraging residents to continue conserving now, rather than waiting for mandatory restrictions.

Cameron says residents are already making changes, including allowing lawns to dry, reusing grey water for gardens and avoiding unnecessary activities such as washing vehicles or the exterior of homes.

He also suggests conserving water inside the home by collecting water that would otherwise run down the drain while waiting for it to warm up, and reusing shower water for plants.

County water supply could provide some relief
The Town is also working with the Municipality of the County of Antigonish as part of its response.

The County has two artesian wells located near College Street. Cameron says those wells can provide approximately 15 per cent of the Town’s daily water usage when activated.

However, he emphasizes that the additional water would help supplement the system rather than replenish the reservoir.

The Town has contacted the County, and testing and preparations are underway to bring those wells into production.

Cameron says the Town is taking a proactive approach and expects the additional supply could be ramped up this week rather than waiting until the water level becomes critical.

Conservation extends beyond the Town boundary
One of the challenges facing the Town is that its water system serves customers outside the municipal boundary.

Cameron says the Town’s enforcement authority only extends within the Town of Antigonish, even though some of its water is used outside those boundaries.

He says, excluding Cineplex and St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, the County consumes approximately 23 per cent more water than the Town itself.

Some agricultural users connected to the municipal water system also have specific needs, such as providing water for livestock. Cameron says farms can supplement their water supply with existing wells for activities such as washing barns rather than relying on the Town’s drinking-water system.

While the immediate focus is on conservation and protecting the existing supply, the Town is also looking ahead to a new source of water.

Cameron says the Town hopes to connect new source-water wells within the next year or two, depending on funding and other factors.

The project will require infrastructure to bring the water into the existing system, including hydroelectric lines to power the wells and piping to connect them to the Town’s current network.

Once operational, Cameron says the new wells could produce between 50 and 60 per cent of the Town’s current daily water supply.

He says the goal is to strengthen the Town’s water system and avoid finding itself in a similar situation in the future.

For now, however, the message from the Town remains straightforward: conserve water while the voluntary measures remain in place.

Cameron says residents have been conscious of the situation and are responding to the request.

As the reservoir continues to drop, the Town will continue monitoring conditions and could move to mandatory restrictions as early as next week if there is no significant rainfall.