Councillors in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality are in disagreement over the practice of rural fire departments using their equipment and municipally treated water to fill private swimming pools. This issue has come to the forefront following concerns about conservation, legal responsibilities, and fairness, especially after the previous year’s drought.
It has been noted that certain rural departments are obtaining water from CBRM’s bulk filling station or hydrants to fill pools, contrary to provincial regulations governing the water utility. Ray Boudreau, the director of water and wastewater, highlighted the challenge of managing distribution system access for such purposes and emphasized the need to adhere to a user-pay principle to recover associated costs.
While some rural councillors advocate for volunteer fire departments to be allowed to fill pools, others stress the importance of cost recovery. Coun. Gordon MacDonald supports the continuation of this service, emphasizing the minimal impact on CBRM’s budget. However, Coun. Steve Parsons raises concerns about potential financial implications for rural departments heavily reliant on pool-filling fundraising activities.
Deputy Mayor Glenn Paruch acknowledges the value of the service provided by volunteer fire departments but suggests implementing a fee structure to cover the utility’s costs. Concerns have also been raised about legal liabilities associated with using raw water from natural sources and potential property damage during pool filling.
Mayor Cecil Clarke emphasizes the need for a fair and compliant plan, especially in light of recent water supply challenges. He suggests the possibility of implementing waivers to address liability issues and proposing a nominal fee to cover the costs of supplying municipal water for pool filling.
Moving forward, CBRM staff have been tasked with collaborating with the water utility and volunteer fire departments to develop policy recommendations and fee structures for firefighters utilizing municipal water for pool filling. This initiative aims to ensure fairness, compliance with regulations, and sustainable management of water resources in the region.