Water demand up as heat dries out private wells in Nova Scotia

Business is flowing for some water delivery services in Nova Scotia, who are trying to keep up with calls from homeowners during the past few weeks of unrelenting heat.

Ron McCulloch, who owns Priority Water, has six large trucks that deliver throughout Middle Sackville and beyond. The majority of his regular customers are industrial, but this year has been different. 

"I'd say the wells are double the calls over last year this time," McCulloch said. "And another thing that we do is water sods. New [lawn] sods require a lot of water. That's been a big thing the past few weeks." 

An 'unplanned expense'

McCulloch says the service boundaries to which he delivers has expanded.

Given the lack of rain, his customers are happy to see him coming up the road. But a water delivery isn't cheap, and depending on how close you live to a water delivery service, it could cost you more than $200. 

McCulloch says when the weather is hot and dry, it's an expense people need to consider. 

"I think people are surprised. It can be an unplanned expense absolutely," he said. 

Getting creative to conserve

To save that expense, other customers are getting creative to conserve water. Susan Collins's five-metre dug well in Middle Sackville hasn't dried out yet. 

"We're hoping that if it rains soon, that we won't have to get any this year, but it's not looking good," she said. "You save the water the best you can, I take water out of the dehumidifier to water the plants."

The holiday weekend has been especially busy for McCulloch. His six drivers work for him through the week, but he's a one-man show when they're off. 

"It's good for business," McCulloch said. "Years ago, before I got into the business, if you had a lousy well, they'd call the water truck and they'd come for $50 and fill it up. Things have changed so much." 

The heat wave has made this season tough on farmers in the province. A fire ban remains in the South Shore and Cumberland County.