Propelled to the forefront this summer when it was almost razed by flames, the village of Normétal, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, is still experiencing the repercussions of forest fires even though a boil water advisory has been in effect there for nearly two months.
Since 1er September, a truck regularly makes the 34 km journey from La Sarre to Normétal, a small municipality of 800 inhabitants.
On board: 70 18 liter containers of water. Destination: Lacroix Bakery, in Normétal.
“Water is a basic product for making bread, so ensuring its quality is important,” underlines the co-owner of the company, Sandrine Lacroix.
This is because at the beginning of September, enterococci – a type of bacteria – were detected in the municipality’s main well, forcing it to issue a boil water advisory.
In the hope of avoiding the need for its residents to boil their water for a few minutes to consume it, Normétal turned to its secondary well. Its contents turned out to be even worse.
“The water was like beige-yellow,” says the village’s general director, Lyne Blanchet. This non-consumption notice lasted around ten days, at the beginning of October, before power was resumed from the main well.
But the presence of bacteria persists. As far back as Lyne Blanchet can remember – she has worked at Normétal for 25 years – “never” has the municipality been faced with such a problem in its water distribution network.
Suspected fires
Suspicions naturally turned to the forest fire which raged barely 500 meters from the village last June, forcing the evacuation of its residents for around ten days, also a first.
“Our wells were called upon to fill the tanks. We think that could be it, but we are not sure,” explains Lyne Blanchet.
The current practice of the Fire Protection Company (SOPFEU) is to obtain water from natural waterways using motor pumps.
During its deployment in the Normétal sector in the spring, the organization specified that it entrusted this task to the Normétal fire department. A “freestanding tank” was installed in the early days to store water.
“The local fire department had the task of filling this tank using their tanker truck,” said a SOPFEU spokesperson, Mélanie Morin, last week. “The SOPFEU manager on site at the time had information that the water came from a small river near the municipality. »
Right in the well
In an emergency, the Normétal fire department admits to having obtained supplies from the municipal reserve in the first days. “Until municipal employees told us that the level had become too low,” specifies its director, Doris Nolet, explaining that she then turned to streams in the region.
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Doris Nolet, director of the Normétal fire department
Normally, we don’t empty a reserve of 100,000 gallons, but here, let’s say that it was a big request.
Doris Nolet, director of the Normétal fire department
According to her, the forest fires themselves could have affected Normétal’s water table since the water in the distribution network was judged to be compliant directly after the fire. “It is certain that [la forêt] burned all around, so maybe that had an impact, I don’t know,” explains the director of the fire department.
The origin of the bacteria present in the soil has not yet been determined. The expert consulted by Normétal would have indicated that a breach in the water distribution network, which creates pressure problems, would potentially be the cause of their introduction, explains general director Lyne Blanchet.
A new anti-return device aimed at preventing backflows and intended for the water distribution network is expected in the coming days. “If it works, the problem will be solved, otherwise, we will have to find the leak,” she lets go.
Mme Blanchet adds that he is in contact with the Ministry of Public Security, although no request for assistance has yet been made. The Abitibi-Témiscamingue regional directorate of the Ministry confirmed that it was ready to help Normétal if necessary.
Protect drinking water
The mayor of the municipality, Ghislain Desbiens, says that the boil water advisory could be lifted “within one to two weeks” thanks to a local company. He also believes that firefighters are partly responsible for the contamination of the water distribution network.
He intends to change the way things are done. “We will manage so that they do not use drinking water, as much as possible. […] They will fetch their water from the [ruisseaux] to protect our drinking water, because two months without drinking water is no fun,” he says.
“We can’t wait for this to be resolved, but we don’t have much information on when it will be resolved,” says baker Sandrine Lacroix with a sigh, who is still delighted that the municipality has covered the cost. of its water deliveries in September. “We hope they will cover for October too. »