Shelburne water project backed by Elliot Page is raising more funds to get flowing

After four years of research and planning, a community well project in Shelburne, N.S., with celebrity backing is getting close to turning on the tap — but in a different location than originally proposed.

Many Shelburne residents are on relatively shallow wells which often run dry in hot weather and are more susceptible to contamination from bacteria than deeper drilled wells.

Although the community initially wanted to drill a well in town, a large abandoned well at Nova Scotia Community College Shelburne just south of town limits turned out to be more suitable. It was originally drilled for observation and research, and the school has donated the well and land it's on for the project.

Now a team of locals with the South End Environmental Injustice Society (SEED), the Municipality of the District of Shelburne, and NSCC are trying to raise roughly $214,000 needed to finish the installation of water treatment equipment for the well and other construction.

In early 2020, SEED's push to drill a community well at a recreational complex in the south end of Shelburne gained support from Halifax-born actor Elliot Page. Page pledged more than $25,000 for the well construction and $5,000 per year needed to maintain it.

Louise Delisle is part of the Shelburne-based group South End Environmental Injustice Society. (CBC)

Louise Delisle, a south end resident and SEED member, said she's happy the NSCC well is large enough to support people from the entire area, in addition to addressing the water issues of the historically Black community in the town's south end, which was the group's original priority.

"I just want to get it done. It just seems like it's been a long time coming but I'm happy that we're actually heading to the finish of this," said Delisle.

"Water's … a necessity of life. And if we have that secure source of clean, potable water, then you know, we're a step ahead when it comes to climate change and all those environmental issues."

A photo illustration shows the NSCC Shelburne well location, and how a pipe will be put in connecting it to a pump house beside the road. (NSCC/SEED)

She added this year's wildfires in the area left many wells unusable, and extreme weather events are projected to continue in years to come due to climate change.

Initial testing of south end wells led by SEED also found high rates of coliform and E. coli , meaning the water wasn't fit for consumption and human use. So in 2021, Delisle approached the Municipality of the District of Shelburne to see if they'd be interested in partnering to use NSCC's well.

Warden Penny Smith said she and the rest of council came back with an "enthusiastic yes." The municipality will not be contributing funds directly to the project but will be supporting SEED and managing the pump access.

"I really believe this is great infrastructure to have in place for our community," Smith said.

Page's donation has since paid for a pump test, which showed the NSCC well's 20-year sustainable yield is about 123,000 litres per day — although it's likely the demand won't be that high right away.

The top of the drilled well at NSCC Shelburne that will be used by the community. The town in southwestern Nova Scotia has been plagued with wells running dry. (CBC)

Although there were worries the former dump near the south end was leading to the water quality issues there, SEED member and hydrogeologist Louise Lindsay said she doesn't believe that is the case.

Lindsay said deer droppings are the most likely cause, as the animals are regularly spotted around town and a trail running through the south end. Because the south end of town is also higher than elsewhere, those wells go dry first, Lindsay said.

She said it was a pleasant surprise to find the water quality in the NSCC well is "absolutely excellent," so they only need a minimal water filtration system on the well pump.

Lindsay said SEED is planning to follow up with Page about his verbal commitment of $5,000 for annual maintenance.

"We're now close enough to the point of having the well — it would be nice to get that set up so it's actually happening," Lindsay said.

Martha MacGowan, a sustainability technician with NSCC based in Dartmouth, said the team is hoping to find out soon whether they've landed a $170,000 grant they applied for under the province's sustainable communities challenge fund.

Martha MacGowan is a sustainability technician with NSCC. (CBC)

"We're hoping that this will serve as a pilot project for future distribution centres around the South Shore as well," MacGowan said, because there are many communities in the region dealing with dry wells.

"We're kind of hoping this is a starting point to inspire more."

If funding comes through, the group hopes to have the well open for residents by late summer or fall of 2024.

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