In Nova Scotia, Colleen Freake is facing significant challenges due to a prolonged drought. With her well drying out, she now has to manually transport water from an outdoor tank to her home for basic needs like showering. The ongoing water scarcity has forced her to alter her daily routine, relying on municipal water pickups and private water delivery services to meet her water needs.
This severe drought in parts of Nova Scotia, labeled as an “exceptional drought” by the Canadian Drought Monitor, is a rare event occurring once every 50 years. Data from September reveals that most areas in the province have received less than 40% of their normal rainfall, exacerbating the water crisis for residents like Freake.
The water shortage is not only impacting personal hygiene but is also affecting Freake’s ability to manage her small vegetable farm. The additional expenses incurred in securing water for her farm animals and maintaining essential farm operations have created financial setbacks, prompting her to question the viability of farming in the future.
To address the water scarcity issue, the Municipality of West Hants has initiated “Operation Make it Rain.” This plan involves pumping water from the Avon River to Mill Lakes, the primary water source for several communities, potentially enabling an extension of water pickup hours to assist rural residents.
Despite these efforts, CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon highlights the necessity of sustained heavy rainfall over weeks to alleviate the drought conditions. Unfortunately, the forecast does not indicate significant rainfall in the near future, prolonging the water crisis and its impact on communities like Freake’s.
As the drought persists, residents like Freake continue to grapple with the stress and challenges posed by the water shortage, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable solutions to mitigate the effects of the ongoing crisis.