PORT AU CHOIX — Officials hoping the recent rainy weather caused by tropical storm Leslie would help with a severe water shortage were sorely disappointed.
Mayor Carolyn Lavers said the storm seemingly struck areas all around her community, but left Port au Choix nearly bone dry.
“We were all waiting for (Hurricane) Leslie to show up with our fingers crossed, but it didn’t help us in the least,” she said. “We’re usually the first ones to get the bad weather no matter what.”
Lavers acknowledged the town’s artesian wells are being filled gradually by the little rain that did occur in the surrounding areas, but the main source of water, its pond, is still depleting
The water shortage has been plaguing the community for most of the summer, which has been unusually hot and dry for the area this year. Lavers and other town officials sounded the alarm last month when the both the pond and the artesian wells began to run dry, prompting the search for another water source.
They are working with the provincial Department of Environment and Conservation for a solution. Even though the situation has slightly improved, Lavers said, a lot more needs to happen, including a little help from Mother Nature.
“I’m living in fear that we don’t have enough rain this fall,” she said. “The fish plant is getting ready to gear down now and the wells are filling, but the reality is that we will need to find a new water source.”
