A subdivision on the outskirts of Fredericton will soon be connected to the city’s water supply after decades of trouble due to low well levels, and residents in the area are excited to put their struggles behind them.
Wayne Flinn has lived at his home in the Chateau Heights area for over 30 years.
Shortly after moving in, he noticed an increasing difficulty in keeping the water level in his well where it should be.
Housing development in the area didn’t help the problem.
“You can compare it to a bowl of water with straws in it,” Flinn explained. “There were only very few straws that were in the bowl at the time that I moved here, and the replenishment level was sufficient to keep drawing water from the straws.”
“More and more straws got in the bowl, drawing water out of it, and the replenishment level was still the same.”
Thinking that re-drilling his well would just add to a domino effect that would make the situation worse for others in the area, he chose not to stay the course.
“I said, I really don’t know what I’m going to do but I’m going to do something that gives me more security.”
That led to him buying and hauling water.
Two large tanks sit in his basement which he can easily monitor the levels of, typically requiring a refill every two-and-a-half weeks.
A bit of a handyman, he rigged up an old pump to take his supply from his “water wagon” to inside the home.
He admits the process is a chore but has a sense of pride about taking the bull by the horns.
Still, he’s looking forward to no longer having to work so hard for the basic necessity.
“I’m getting a little older so it’s becoming a little more of a task to haul water,” he said. “It’s certainly better than the alternative but I think as I look ahead, I don’t want that responsibility anymore. I want the opportunity and the good feeling of having water right to my tap.”
Construction is now taking place, and the area is expected to be connected in about a year’s time, something the Flinns couldn’t be more enthused about.
“The construction crew worked on our street digging the hole, laying the pipe and doing the ditches and so on,” Flinn said. “My wife was so pleased and excited, she made cookies for them, she brought out tea and coffee.”