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🇨🇦 Canada /Disasters & Emergencies

Lunenburg rations water after Dares Lake dam breach

From Global News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Lunenburg continued restricting water use while crews repaired the Dares Lake dam, which supplies the Nova Scotia town.
  • The breach submerged the pump building and forced schools, restaurants, daycares and major businesses to close.
  • Two of three pumps had resumed operating but were not yet at full capacity, while officials worked to restore safe drinking-water service.

Lunenburg spent a second day conserving water after a crack in the recently built Dares Lake dam sent water into the pump building and disrupted the town’s main water supply.

So eventually if that wasn’t rectified, we’d run out of water.

· Jamie MyraThe Lunenburg mayor described the risk created by the submerged pump building.

The breach, which occurred around 1 p.m. Wednesday, overflowed the lake and stopped water from being pumped into the town’s treatment facility. Mayor Jamie Myra said the town could eventually have run out of water if the problem had not been addressed.

Cafes, daycares, restaurants and businesses were closed, as were schools including Bluenose Academy. High Liner Foods, headquartered in Lunenburg, was among the larger companies affected. Myra estimated that a delay of 12 to 24 hours could cost the town hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue over the Labour Day weekend.

If it doesn’t get back up and running within the next 12 to 24 hours, you’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars (in revenue) lost (in the town) over Labour Day weekend.

· Jamie MyraMyra described the potential economic cost of prolonged closures.

The dam was installed within the last year and cost the town about $1 million. “I never ever envisioned the new dam just collapsing or giving way. That, to me, is a shocker,” Myra said. The breach had been secured by Friday, and two of the three pumps were working, although neither was operating at full capacity.

I never ever envisioned the new dam just collapsing or giving way. That, to me, is a shocker.

· Jamie MyraThe mayor reacted to the failure of the dam, which had been installed within the previous year.

Myra said residents and businesses had followed requests to reduce water use, allowing the operating pumps to catch up. He said the town hoped to restore the utility to the standard needed to deliver safe drinking water to everyone. He also praised the community’s cooperation and asked property owners who suffered damage to contact his office. One property owner, Connor Veinot, said a stream on his land had risen four feet and threatened to flood.

I really learned in the last 48 hours how close this community is. We haven’t had any pushback from residents (or) business owners. We all want the same end result and we’re all working together to get there.

· Jamie MyraMyra praised residents and businesses for cooperating with water-conservation measures.
About this summary

Originally published by Global News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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