Further low water level warnings issued for Ottawa east communities

Despite the thunderstorms that rolled through the nation’s capital and the bit of rain it brought, there are still fears of low water levels in rivers and drought.

Conservation authorities are updating their warnings to the public and officials as low water levels and high heat persist in Ottawa. The latest is from the South Nation Conservation Authority (SNCA), which looks after most of Ottawa’s rural south and east communities.

It is asking that businesses or organizations with permits to take water should reduce non-essential usage by 20 per cent. Those on groundwater or well systems in the areas of Gloucester-South Gate, Orléans South-Navan, Osgoode, and Riverside South-Findlay Creek are asked to reduce their water consumption.

“Recorded rainfall over the past 30 to 90 days has fallen well below the long-term seasonal average,” the notice reads. “Low rainfall has contributed to reduced stream flows in the South Nation River Watershed, with many headwater tributaries going completely dry.”

This comes as the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) is also declaring a Level 2 low water condition within the Carp River Watershed, which encompasses the communities of West Carleton-March, Stittsville, Kanata North, Rideau-Jock and Kanata South.

The authority is also noting that those who use water from the Mississippi River should reduce consumption by 10 per cent.

The vast majority of residents (93 per cent) in the city are connected to the municipal drinking water and are not impacted by declarations. However, there are also six community wells the city runs, and even though there have never been issues with the capacity, the authority notes, people are asked to reduce consumption if possible.

This includes the communities of Carp, Munster, Richmond, Greely and Vars.