Island’s wells drying up as drought persists

The prolonged drought is having increasingly dire effects on Grand Manan, as people are reporting dry wells, and some have been without water for extended periods. Some have been using relatives' water and others are hauling jugs. A Facebook poll posted by a resident on September 20 drew 287 responses, with 25% indicating their well was dry or almost dry, while 30% said they had adequate water. The remaining answers were "I'm concerned" at 39% or "don't know" at 6%.

Deanna Bingley, who has a house in Seal Cove, has been delivering water with the help of Jessie Linton and Zackary Hutchings. She says about two months ago she heard of someone who delivered water for hot tubs or wells a couple of times a year, and there was an opportunity for her to step in with more frequent deliveries. She started off charging the same rate as the previous person, $60 per delivery. She began getting more calls. She heard about a senior in North Head who hadn't had water for two months. "I can't take $60 from seniors," she says. She's heard of several families with new babies and people who couldn't get baths, and she's concerned about children and seniors who don't have enough water for drinking or proper hygiene.

The numbers kept growing. She says when she was on the ferry recently about 20 people approached her to inquire about water. MG Fisheries and Cooke Aquaculture have provided the water, and someone donated four sterilized 1,100‑litre tanks. But because water will soak into the ground if a dry dug well is above the water table, pouring water into them is ineffective, and Bingley ended up donating three of the tanks to people for storage. "I can't give everyone a tank," she laments. She adds that MG Fisheries had to withdraw from the effort when their own water levels grew low.

Bingley acknowledges Linton and Hutchings for their tireless help, and says they've delivered to about 26 households. For a while they made two to five deliveries a day, but she says that has tapered off a bit. She will collect the $60 fee from those who can afford it, but she says, "I'm not going to make seniors and people with families pay," especially for repeated deliveries. "Most can't pay anymore."

She is covering the cost of gas to deliver. "I'm just a Christian person trying to help people," she says. "This is a community problem. Nobody's helping these folks."

She adds, 'If we don't get [rain] before the frost, people who don't have water now won't get it. We're in trouble." She has seen shortages on Vancouver Island as well as while in Africa as a missionary and is dismayed that the island has a similar problem. "This isn't Africa," she says. She would like to see more people helping neighbours with water.

Discussion on Facebook prompted village officials to respond, although CAO Chris Rayner says they "have never received a request for help." In consultation with the Department of the Environment, they accessed a well report for the community centre, which indicated it could sustain extra use. They used the Voyent Alert system to distribute a poll about water access on September 23, but Rayner said only 500 responses were received out of 1,500 contacts. Of those, 10% reported either dry wells with no access to water, or dry with access to family or friends' water.

The community centre is open for showers and washroom facilities, and drinking water is available on request. Rayner acknowledges Home Hardware for donating bottled water. There is a 24‑hour non‑drinking‑water filling station. People need to bring their own shower supplies and containers. He said on October 2 that no one had been in to use these services. The community centre is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and they have discussed staffing extended hours with Red Cross volunteers. Access outside of scheduled hours may be arranged by contacting the village at 662‑7059.

The Grand Manan Fishermen's Association and Fundy Marine Service Centre are offering water as well as bathroom facilities at several locations on their property. They note, "Water should only be used for washing, toilets -- and not for consumption. Let us know you are coming" by calling 662‑8481, and they will have someone on site. Water is also available at the Anchorage Provincial Park from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the end of October and from Benson Lobster in Seal Cove.

Rayner says the non‑potable designation is a liability matter when up‑to‑date test reports aren't available. The village is awaiting a test report on a well at the airport which, for now, is available for non‑drinking water.

E.R. Steeves, a Quispamsis‑based well‑drilling company, was expecting to have a crew on the island during the second or third week of October. An employee declined comment on the number of wells they planned to drill, but said they had had "a few requests."

The village is considering study options to find aquifers and determine how many wells traditionally go dry and where they are. Rayner says that identifying a more‑affected area could then lead to a more in‑depth hydrological survey. They have two or three study proposals and are working on funding sources. "The community's great at looking after each other," he says, and he commends the businesses stepping up to help, adding, "The community centre is here if anyone needs it."