In a recent annual drinking water systems summary report the Hillsburgh drinking water system received a rating of 100 per cent and the Erin drinking water system received a 97.17% inspection rating.
With regards to the frozen waterlines, interim water superintendent Joe Babin said at the council meeting 42 lines were frozen as of March 17.
He said in most cases the houses without water were connected to their neighbour’s water system.
“Neighbours have been really good at … allowing us to hook up lines,” he said.
Babin also said that unfortunately, one man whose lines froze, is too far away from his neighbours to connect.
“He’s fine, he’s got water, we’ve been in,” he said. “He could be out another week.”
Mayor Allan Alls asked if it would be beneficial to ask citizens to run their taps in advance of the freezing temperatures next year.
“Because now we’re reactive rather than being proactive and (I) don’t know if that’s the right answer,” he said.
Babin said staff is considering each street and what has happened this year with regards to snow loads and storm drains.
“We are putting together a little format,” he said. “It’s a case study that we have to be careful of, because of the septic systems.”
Babin said homeowners were not enthusiastic about preparing their garden hoses in the extreme weather so they could run the water. However, in the cases staff dealt with, that was done.
“We’re wasting a lot of water, we’re using a lot of water … It will come back, but the thing is, it’s better for us to do what we’re doing now than to have freeze ups, because it takes a lot of time and staff.”
Next year, he said, they will consider the moisture in the ground and the temperature in order to try for possible early warnings, and to be as proactive as possible.
Town chief administrative officer Kathryn Ironmonger said Nestle Waters Canada has indicated it will provide water to any homes that are out of water, free of charge.
Up until now, the town has purchased bottles to supply the people without water. Babin said staff would consider approaching Nestles earlier next year to see if they will do the same thing.
“That’s the pleasure of living in a small community where we kind of look after one another,” Alls said.
