A number of residents living outside the city have had their wells run dry because of drought, Shanahan said, and more people may have to consider digging new wells even deeper.
“Most of the ones I’ve talked to are within that 100 [feet] or less parameter,” he said. “That seems to be where the issue is.”
Municipal wells in Miramichi are typically 400 feet, o about 122 metres, deep and can cost more than a million dollars to dig, he said.
Shanahan’s household is on a private well, and he himself has considered redrilling his well — but that comes at a cost.
He for an average residential home, the cost would be about $10,000, an estimate he’s heard from plumbers and well drillers.
There are signs to look for that indicate a drying well, Shanahan said. Water might be dirtier, pressure might be lower and there may be more air in the flow of water.