Morden’s water supply running low amid extreme drought
The taps in the City of Morden could run dry if the area doesn’t get some rain or snow in the coming months, according to the community’s mayor.
Brandon Burley said the lake the community gets drinking water from is dropping so fast, it’s putting the water supply in jeopardy.
It comes amid a devastating drought that’s taken hold across southern Manitoba.
The city tightened rules around water usage back in May—people can’t water their lawns, fill their pools, wash their cars at home and Morden’s spray pad is closed—but the level on the lake is still in a sharp decline.
“Yeah, there’s a lot more beach than normal,” said Brooke Collins, a swimmer enjoying the lake on a hot day with her parents and friends.
The beach at Lake Minnewasta just outside Morden serves as a refuge for people looking to beat the heat.
But people have noticed that this summer, the popular recreation destination looks a lot different.
“Because we didn’t have lots of rain,” said Aubree Sloan, who was also enjoying the lake with family.
The level of the lake is around nine feet below normal, according to Burley.
You can still paddle and swim in the water but motorboats have been banned.
Hot and dry conditions which experts have warned will become more common due to climate change have led to extreme drought in the region and across the province.
The implications are hitting home for people who live here.
“You know I think it is definitely,” said Tyler Sloan, a Morden resident and Aubree’s dad. “Seeing the lake this low and knowing this is where we get our drinking water from.”
Lake Minnewasta supplies the community of 8,700 with drinking water.
The water level has been dropping at a rate of six inches every two weeks, according to Burley.
The mayor told CTV News if water levels continue to decline at the same rate and the area gets no new precipitation the community will not be able to draw drinking water from the lake in 34 weeks.
That’s a worst-case scenario but Burley said he wants community members to understand how serious the situation is.
Ron Schuler, Manitoba’s Infrastructure Minister, said Thursday most water supply reservoirs have sufficient supply with the exception of Lake Minnewasta which is at 68 per cent of full capacity.
“The City of Morden Council declared severe drought conditions on April the eighth and implemented water restrictions on May fourth,” Schuler said.
That means people can’t water their lawns or flowers or fill their pools with city water. The city’s splash pad is shut down and residents can only wash their vehicles at commercially-run car washes.
People at the lake, including cattle producer and grain farmer Danna Collins, have never seen anything like it.
“We would normally be sitting in water right now,” said Collins. “But that’s in every water body right now. If we were to go look in our pastures, our dugouts are all the same — they are nowhere near where they should be.
The R.M. of Macdonald, located just southwest of Winnipeg, has also implemented water restrictions due to a continual drop in levels on the La Salle river from which it gets drinking water.
Back in Morden Tyler Sloan said his lawn looks like the sand on the beach but he said his family is doing their part to help conserve water.
“Reducing the shower time, some of those things,” said Sloan. “Just not going for as long of a shower and less baths and just trying to use the lake here to cool down on these hot days.”
So far no new restrictions have been implemented in Morden but the mayor is asking people to conserve as much as they can.
Burley said the community is working on a contingency plan. He said talks are underway to get additional water from the Pembina Valley Water Cooperative. He said Morden Council has already approved a bigger supply line to pipe in the water.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.