Current Status
Dear Supporters and Neighbours,
The Old School Community Gathering Place (OSCGP) wants to update the community on the the status of the upgrading to the community well, which is located behind the backstop at the Dale Bennett Memorial Ballfield, in Musquodoboit Harbour.
The Old School began exploring the creation of a community well in 2021. There were two objectives: first, to demonstrate that there was an ample supply of water from an aquifer which the Department of Mines found in 1968 had enough water to supply the core of Musquodoboit Harbour with piped water; and more immediately, to provide safe drinking water in the event of power failure.
The Old School applied for and received a grant in July 2021 from the AgriSpirit program of Farm Credit Canada to drill a well, purchase and install solar panels, a solar pump, a storage tank, and water filtration UV treatment. The Common Area Rate fund also contributed funds for a survey, and more recently, for new equipment for an upgrade. Councillor David Hendsbee has also provided funding for some of the materials.
The Well Committee submitted a request to HRM for a lease for a small parcel of land for an exploratory drilling, and a possible pump house if the well produced enough water. The Committee was successful in its request to Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) to allow the exploratory drilling to take place, which hit an ample supply of water.
After testing, the water showed slightly higher than recommended manganese levels which our filtration system now removes. With the water being checked for consumption three times yearly. After more than a year of consideration, HRM decided not to lease the land, but rather, agreed to sell the Old School a 20 foot by 20 foot parcel of land containing the well and a well house.
Opening to the public in 2025 the Department of Natural Resources approved the operation of the well opening which coincided with the severe and extended drought last summer. Rather than supplying water during a power outage, the well became a mainstay for families across the Eastern Shore whose wells had gone dry. By the time the uninsulated well building closed for the winter, it had supplied 32,000 gallons free water to those in need in the community.
Based on the success of the opening season, the Well Committee decided to take steps in 2026 to extend the time when the well would normally be opened in the spring and closed in the fall. Accordingly, the plan called for more solar panels to power the equipment’s batteries and an electrical upgrade to handle the increased power.
There were supply chain delays throughout the spring and summer in assembling the necessary equipment. The Well Committee learned that the province had given Nova Scotia Power, authority to approve all off-grid power installations and as a result, Nova Scotia Power’s inspector advised that there would be about $4,000 in equipment replacements needed, a net to protect the solar panels from foul balls from the ball field, and a barrier to prevent vehicles from striking the solar array beside and behind the well building.
Purchasing this new equipment, building a ball-catching net, and fencing in the building will cost additional money, and take more time. The Well Committee has decided to raise the additional funds to meet Nova Scotia Power’s requirements. In light of the time it will take to raise the funds needed and to perform the work, the Well Committee does not anticipate the opening of the well until Spring of 2027. The Old School Community Gathering Place greatly appreciates the commitment and support from the individuals involved in the work that has been accomplished so far, there have been setbacks, but we remain optimistic that with community support this will be accomplished.
Please stay tuned for more information on fundraising efforts and updates as we move forward.
The Old School Community Gathering Place
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