Total outdoor water use ban a first in North Dundas
by Brandon Mayer
For the first time ever, North Dundas residents who are connected to the municipal water system in the villages of Winchester and Chesterville are under a total ban from outdoor water use. This total ban covers all forms of outdoor water use, including lawn watering, vegetable garden and flowerbed watering, recreational water use (such as with sprinklers and slip-and-slides), sod or landscape watering, car washing, driveway cleaning, and window and siding washing.
In past years, it has been common for a system to be put in place to limit simultaneous demand on the water system during drought conditions, such as only allowing limited outdoor water use for odd numbered addresses on one day, and even numbered addresses on the next.
This year, the scope of the water use ban makes it clear that the water supply situation in North Dundas is becoming critical. The Township’s own wording on social media alludes to serious water supply issues: “This ban is necessary to ensure we can continue to meet essential water needs, such as drinking, cooking, sanitation, and firefighting. The Township is actively working on adding sustainable water sources to our system. We ask for your support and cooperation as we navigate this dry period and work to protect the remaining water available for essential use.”
As residents in other municipalities cool off with recreational water use and use their water to sustain hobbies such as gardening, the outdoor water use ban in North Dundas is making headlines, including a story from CTV Ottawa. Many other municipalities such as Ottawa and those situated along the St. Lawrence River use surface water as their drinking water source. Surface water is a plentiful water source that is relatively unaffected by drought conditions. A Township official who wished to remain anonymous explained that since much of the land in North Dundas is tile drained farmland, water is diverted away from aquifers even during rainy conditions. This has led to an acceleration of water supply issues in North Dundas, where municipal water is drawn from a series of municipal wells spread out just outside the villages.
The water supply issues in North Dundas are certainly not new. In an interview with the Times during his re-election campaign in 2022, Councillor Gary Annable noted that his father was a municipal Clerk many decades ago who was fighting for sustainable water and sewer infrastructure in Winchester and Chesterville even back then. It’s clear that North Dundas will need funding and other support to draw source water from the St. Lawrence River – rather than groundwater wells – as soon as possible to avoid running out of water completely.
The Lactalis factory in Winchester – Canada’s largest cheese plant – draws more water than all households in the Township combined. The Township would not be the same without this significant local employer, but many eyes will be on the company in the years ahead regarding its approach to helping North Dundas access more sustainable water. In a statement to the Times, a Lactalis spokesperson said: “In light of the water shortage in Winchester, Ontario, Lactalis Canada's Winchester plant has actively adopted several measures to reduce the town's water usage, including a process to reuse steam condensation to generate water. The plant has also begun piloting an initiative to transport water by truck to supply operations. As a proud member of the Winchester community and major operator in the area, Lactalis Canada is actively engaged and working closely with our valued partners at the township towards a more long-term solution.”
Outside of Winchester and Chesterville, residents on rural roads and in smaller villages such as Mountain, South Mountain, Hallville, and Morewood are free to use outdoor water from their private wells as they wish, but this doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Private wells are just as susceptible to running dry in drought conditions as municipal wells, and when it comes to settlement areas like South Mountain, many households with private wells are drawing water from the same aquifer. This means that the overuse of water by a few households can impact the whole village, just as it can for those on the municipal water systems in Winchester and Chesterville.
This year’s current outdoor water use ban began as an outdoor water use restriction starting on July 18. The restriction was upgraded to a total ban on August 5, and has remained in effect since. Drought conditions have been steady owing to a lack of rain and thunderstorms for several weeks, with small storm systems this week not providing enough relief from such a lengthy period of dry conditions. The Township has even set up storage tanks with non-potable water at two local fire stations for residents to use in watering their gardens, further emphasizing the seriousness of the outdoor water use ban.
Residents both on and off the municipal system who are reducing their water use are no doubt feeling inconvenienced – maybe even angry in the case of those who don’t have air conditioning and rely on recreational water to keep cool. However, the severe conditions this year provide a sure sign that Township and provincial officials will have no choice but to act, and changes to the North Dundas water system must surely be made in the near future. Residents will be tasked with being patient – and cooperative – in the meantime.