Drinking Water in Dunham
The Town of Dunham does not have a water system or universal water supply. All buildings are supplied with drinking water, either from artesian wells or from surface wells.
What is an artesian well?
It is a water supply system that taps groundwater isolated below the water table, between two layers of soil or rock. The depth of an artesian well can go up to 70 meters.
What is a surface well?
It is a supply system that uses surface water. The depth of a surface well can be up to 9 meters. As the name implies, it taps water that is predominantly on the surface. The water captured is, therefore, more likely to be affected by droughts or contaminants.
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Groundwater in Dunham
In February 2022, a preliminary study was carried out by a firm of experts in hydrology in order to evaluate the potential of groundwater supply in the territory (capturable only by artesian wells). This study, which was also conducted in 2012, lead to the following conclusions:
- the amount of drinking water contained below the groundwater table is sufficient to meet the average needs of buildings in the area;
- new construction would not affect the groundwater supply capacity of existing buildings;
- there are numerous old wells reported in the Town of Dunham. These wells are typically more sensitive to changes in groundwater levels, particularly because they are shallower.
Monitoring the availability of this resource
It is essential for the Town of Dunham to preserve the collective wealth that is drinking water. To do so, piezometric monitoring will be carried out on the territory.
What is piezometric monitoring?
The piezometric level represents the depth of the surface of the water table. A piezometric level monitoring allows knowing the state of the water resource in terms of quantity.
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Piezometric monitoring will be carried out at various locations on the territory in order to have an overall picture of the evolution of the availability of drinking water. The data collected will be analyzed once a year and will allow for optimal planning of residential developments and avoid overexploitation of the resource.