South Nation Conservation urges residents to conserve water due to low water levels

The South Nation Conservation Authority declared a Level 3 low water advisory on Tuesday, urging residents and businesses to conserve water. (South Nation Conservation Authority/website)

The South Nation Conservation Authority is asking residents, businesses and municipalities to reduce their water use, warning the water supply can no longer meet demand in certain regions of eastern Ontario, including parts of Ottawa.

A Level 3 low water advisory was issued for the South Nation Conservation jurisdiction on Tuesday, which includes Prescott, Winchester, Russell, Casselman, Limoges, Clarence-Rockland, Alfred-Plantagenet and the Ottawa areas of Osgoode, Greely, Metcalfe and Navan.

“Level 3 conditions indicate that water supply no longer meets demand in certain regions and ongoing drought conditions are putting increased pressure on surface and groundwater supplies,” the South Nation Conservation Authority said in a statement.

“Under this advisory, all water users are asked to reduce water use and suspend non-essential water uses until natural supplies begin to recover.”

Officials say only 15 to 17 mm of rain has been recorded across the South Nation jurisdiction over the past 30 days, which has contributed to “reduced stream flows in the South Nation River Watershed.”

The rainfall in the forecast this week “will not be enough to replenish the water supply,” the conservation authority said.

All water users are being asked to reduce water use, including suspending all outdoor non-essential water use.

In a memo to council Tuesday afternoon, the city’s general manager of Infrastructure and Water Services said the city’s central drinking water system is not impacted by the current low water conditions.

“And staff do not expect that there will be impacts,” Tammy Rose said.

“The two drinking water treatment facilities at Lemieux and Britannia draw less than one per cent of the Ottawa River’s flow, so there is ample raw water supply.”

Rose said it is recommended that residents in Carp, Munster, Richmond< Greely and Vars follow recommendations to conserve water.

Residents and businesses who receive drinking water from a private drinking water system in the areas are “strong encouraged to reduce their overall water use and suspend non-essential water activities,” Rose said.

Last week, the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority issued a “Level 3 – Severe” low-water advisory.

“A Level 3 low water advisory is not a declaration of an emergency, but an indicator of significant dry conditions and impacts observed across the Rideau Valley watershed,” the conservation authority said in a news release.

The notice covers an area ranging from Orléans through south Ottawa and toward the St. Lawrence, and also includes communities such as Smiths Falls, Perth, and Westport.

The City of Ottawa said it’s modifying irrigation operations within the Rideau Valley watershed to reduce well water use in response to the low water conditions. The city’s two drinking water treatment facilities draw water from the Ottawa River.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Ted Raymond