Low water levels at North Pond which serves Torbay in September (Town of Torbay)
Water levels are rising at North Pond in Torbay, but the town is taking additional measures to ensure that levels are back to normal before freezing winter temperatures set in.
Mayor Craig Scott says the pond, which provides water to three schools, some seniors homes and approximately one third of all homes serviced by the town, had dropped to about 8 feet below normal by the end of September.
Scott says while the pond has risen a couple of feet thanks to recent wet weather, it needs to be higher before the pond freezes over.
He says the town is currently working on pumping water from nearby Whiteway Pond to help prevent any possible disruption to the water supply.
“We’re sourcing all the material we need now to be able to do that, and hopefully we’re going to get that started sooner than later.”
Scott says the town originally considered pumping water from a river into North Pond, but PFAS – a problem in areas near St. John’s International Airport – were detected in the water. Scott says the water in Whiteway Pond was tested and is clean.