Current Status
Message from the volunteer Community Well committee:
We have moved the opening date for 2026 from June 8 to early July.
Last summer, people in need drew more than 32,000 gallons of water from the new Community Well at the Dale Bennet Memorial Baseball Field. When we began planning this well, we conceived of the project as a demonstration of the existence of a large aquifer, large enough to supply piped water to the entire Highway 7 core of Musquodoboit Harbour.
Given the severe drought that dried up so many wells, both dug and drilled, we were lucky to have this water source in place, and not be forced to rely on expensive bottled water.
The volunteer team reviewed this experience after we closed the well in the fall. We decided to invest in a number of improvements. To make it possible to open the well earlier in the spring, and keep it open later in the fall, we insulated the walls and ceiling of the building. We had some problems last year with having enough battery power on hand to drive the pump and the water dispenser, so we have added two new solar panels on the ground next to the pump house, and more powerful batteries.
We had hoped to have the well open on June 8. The electrical upgrades have made it necessary to acquire a number of new permits. And as is not uncommon in HRM, it has taken longer to get all the permits in place.
We regret not being able to open as early as we would have liked. The volunteers who got this project off the ground last year are working every day to finish up the permitting process.
Thank you for your support and we will keep you informed via Facebook and our website.
Please see the attached diagram for location details. Yellow line is the gate entrance for your vehicle, and red is the foot path through the Trail parking lot. Please call the Old School if you have any questions or require assistance - 902 889 2735, or leave us an email at info@theoldschool.ca
If you observe issues with the well or dispenser, please contact us.
Latest Test Results
History of the Project
The aquifer was first studied in 1968 by George F. Pinder, then a young graduate student, whose research began development in that summer and now is used around the world to measure the flow rate in aquifers.
He estimated that the Musquodoboit Aquifer contains enough water to supply a town the size of Truro ten times over.
In late summer many domestic wells run dry, and although water bottles are brought out from the city and distributed, it has been only on certain evenings, and not always reliably. During Hurricane Fiona many residents were unable to access their own water because of extended power outages.
Purchasing water is out of the budget for many low-income households whose water is unsuitable for drinking.
The HRM Visioning Plan and the MHACCCA Community Development Plan both have identified a community water supply as one of the primary needs of the community.
On June 21, 2019, the Open the Aquifer Facebook group was created. Discussions and information sharing continued among a small group of concerned citizens regarding water issues of quantity and quality locally. One of those members pointed the Old School board to a funding opportunity in 2021, via Farm Credit Canada, called the Agri Spirit award. Several community members joined the planning of simple access to the aquifer for those in need of water in dry times and to users of the trail along the Musquodoboit River. In March, 2021, a proposal was submitted to Farm Credit Canada under this AgriSpirit funding, for a solar-powered water pump and filtration system, pumphouse, and spigot. The grant of $14,500 was awarded in July 2021.
On December 8, 2021, the water committee of The Old School met with Bluenose Well Drilling and walked the area where we had planned to do the new well, pump, filter, etc. They recommended moving the site further north, behind the ballfield near the pathway that goes onto Billy Bennett's land toward the 1968 wells. They believed we would get good yield and would also possibly discover the aquifer extends to this point. This site is a bit distant from the trail, but readily available to those at the ballfield and there is vehicle access when the gate to the ballfield is open. A survey of the land was deemed necessary to determine who owns the land at the particular spot recommended. The survey, funded by the Common Area Rate and completed on June 16, 2022, determined that the desired site was on HRM land.
HRM was reluctant to take on the responsibility for the well and water quality. Ongoing discussions among HRM Parks, HRM Planning, the local Councillor - David Hendsbee, legal counsel, and the CAO’s office led to the subdividing of the land to the Old School Community Gathering Place, the subcommittee of which has worked to complete the final touches and will monitor the site going forward. The small plot of land for the Musquodoboit Harbour wellhead project was officially recorded as PID # 41531302 at the Registry of Deeds.
Aug 12 2022, the well was drilled.
Oct 18, 2022 samples taken.
On November 4, 2022 an application and addenda for the Registration for the Public Water Supply in Musquodoboit Harbour was submitted to the Province.
On November 9, 2022, water test results were received. The water had virtually no bacteria or trace metals, except for some iron and a moderate level of manganese. Subsequently, research was conducted on the amelioration of manganese in drinking water, with the help of Bluenose Well Drilling and Bluenose Water Cleaners.
The O2 Program at Eastern Shore High School agreed to build the pumphouse, donating half of the cost of the materials with Taylor Lumber donating the other half. Jamie DeBaie (Taylor Lumber) drew up the plans and materials list, and the O2 students under the guidance of their teachers, Natalie Stephens and Mark Wilkes, built it–Thank you so much!
July, 2023 the well was connected to the pump.
Matthew Randell installed the metal roof for free, and the building was largely completed September, 2023.
We celebrated the opening of the aquifer with a celebration on April 21, 2024, the day before Earth Day.
The well opened to the public on May 1st, 2025. The plan is to operate on a seasonal basis, from spring until fall (April/May to November), as some components must be removed for the winter months due to risk of damage in freezing temperatures.
The water is accessible by foot from the Trail, parking lot, and road from 8 AM to 8PM, from May 1 until November