Water restriction in Lunenburg lifted, water reservoir stable

Water restrictions lifted in Lunenburg after dam breach at Dares Lake dam, home to the town's water supply. PHOTO BY GOOGLE MAPS Lunenburg has lifted its water restrictions following a dam breach, the town announced Saturday afternoon on social media. The breach in the Dares Lake dam, which supplies Lunenburg with drinking water, was patched on Friday and water reserve levels have been restored, according to the town. “It will still take a little longer to get the pumps fully restored, but in the meantime, we are able to announce that effective immediately, all water restrictions have been lifted,” read the social media post. The water restrictions lasted for three days. Local businesses experienced closures and medical appointments at Fisherman’s Memorial Hospital were postponed due to the water shortage. The first day of school at Bluenose Academy on Thursday was also postponed as a precaution. The social media post said the co-operation of residents and businesses has been “crucial” to getting the water reservoir levels back up. “We are pleased to report that water conservation efforts have been very helpful and overnight significant progress was made in restoring the town’s water reserve.” “Thank you for your patience, co-operation, and commitment to conserving water over the past few days,” the post read. The dam breach Emergency officials first responded to the breach in the Dares Lake dam on Wednesday. By Friday, the breach was stable but the town’s water reservoir was still low. As of Friday, two of the three pumps are functional but not at full capacity. The third is not operational and will be replaced as soon as possible, announced Lunenburg’s Regional Emergency Management Organization on Friday. The details that led to the dam breach is still unknown to the public. Lunenburg Mayor Jamie Myra wrote in an email on Thursday afternoon that once the breach was fixed, “a proper assessment can happen to determine what caused it and the full scope of the breach. Right now, though, it’s all hands on deck to solve the immediate issue.” With files from George Myrer LATEST FROM SHOPPING ESSENTIALS Reformation's new Toronto location just opened — here's a first look inside The brand's fourth Canadian location is now open