Water is currently being brought in to fill the Hughes Brook dam. (Amy Feehan/CBC)
A community on Newfoundland’s west coast remains under a state of emergency because of critically low water levels, but its dam is currently being filled with water trucked in from a neighbouring community.
Hughes Brook, which has a population of approximately 236 people according to Statistics Canada, declared the state of emergency last week. In a social media post on Tuesday, the town announced both the state of emergency and water conservation order remain in effect.
Town clerk Melissa Thorne said the water is off until further notice because they are filling the dam and the stirred-up sediments need time to settle.
However, she said bringing in water to fill the dam won’t lift the state of emergency.
“Currently, it will not remove the state of emergency. That is something that we are going by day-by-day because we’re still not out of the woods yet,” Thorne told CBC News.
Town clerk Melissa Thorne says the town is currently investigating a new water source. (Amy Feehan/CBC)
About 60 of the community’s nearly 100 homes are connected to the impacted water supply.
In its post the town also warned residents they are legally required to conserve water and to limit it to essential activities, like drinking, cooking and for hygiene. It added failing to conserve water is an offence under the Towns and Local Service Districts Act and could result in a summary conviction.
‘Epidemic across the province’
Thorne called the recent water shortages an “epidemic across the province” that has not only impacted Hughes Brook.
“On top of obviously the lack of precipitation, the lack of snow in the winter and the extremely hot and dry summer, we’re not the only town that has a shortage of water,” she said.
Other communities across the province have faced similar struggles over the summer.
In August, Bonavista brought in a mandatory water ban to conserve water for drinking, sanitation and emergency services. Last week, Torbay Mayor Craig Scott warned of low water levels at the town’s reservoir and said a state of emergency could be declared.
Hughes Brook declared a state of emergency last week due to critically low water levels. (Amy Feehan/CBC)
Thorne said they are also looking into a possible leak at a town fire hydrant as a cause behind the dam’s low water levels.
“We did leak detection last night and the night before as well and we found a possibility of a leak that is going to be addressed tomorrow,” she said.
Thorne said residents are coming to the town hall to request drinking water and staff are available to deliver it.
Given the lack of precipitation, less snow over the winter and global warming, she said the community needs a new water source.
The town recently had funding approved to find the new water source, which will go to tender shortly.
“That’s another opportunity for us to determine another source of water that could actually supply the town and help us be able to grow, because currently we only have about 62 connections to the water,” said Thorne.
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