FLETCHERS LAKE: The baby steps to investigating the costs associated with bringing city water to residents of Schwarzwald subdivision in Fall River/Fletchers Lake have begun.
At a recent HRM Regional Council meeting, Councillor Cathy Deagle Gammon brought forward a motion asking for HRM staff to bring back a report on the costs involved. It was passed unanimously.
Deagle Gammon—and others MP Darrell Samson and MLA Brian Wong, and before him now retired MLA Bill Horne—are well aware of the issues with wells and water for residents in the subdivision.
“When I ran in 2016 water was the one issue, major issue in the community subdivision and then again when I ran in 2020, the same thing came up,” she said during an interview at her Fall River home. “During the provincial election and during the federal election, every candidate that ran called me and said: “councillor, do you know how bad the situation is for water in Schwarzwald?” and I was “yes, I have been made aware.” When I came in, we were finishing the LIC charge for the Fall River water project.”
She said the difference between the water put in along Fall River Road and Schwarzwald is that those in Schwarzwald really do need it.
“They need that investment,” said Deagle Gammon. “There are families there that have drilled a well, re-drilled a well. They have a cistern, they have a second cistern, so it’s not like it’s a community that has exhausted all the options available to them. They really have.”
Deagle Gammon said a staff report will look at other levels of government can do as it relates to funding or partnering with HRM. But it’s just the beginning.
“This is the absolute first baby step, but it’s making sure that we know what the cost is and what’s the feasibility of extending the water service,” she said. “I will be talking to our MP (Samson) and MLA Wong.
“It’s no great mystery that this is a community that needs water, and we need to start to fix that.”
