A community meeting held in Upper Hammonds Plains on Monday led to more concerns among residents regarding water pressure and fire protection, as reported by Global News.
The meeting included representatives from Halifax Water, Halifax Fire, and municipal staff, with the primary focus on discussing the community’s fire safety infrastructure.
Rev. Lennett Anderson, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, attended the meeting and expressed concerns about inadequate fire protection for his church and congregation.
He said: “We have fire hydrants that cannot protect us. In essence, the community heard that they’re there for decoration. They’re cosmetic.”
The Upper Hammonds Plains community, which was severely impacted by a major wildfire in May 2023, continues to grapple with concerns about future fire safety.
The fire displaced over 16,000 residents and destroyed homes, businesses, and facilities across hundreds of hectares.
Halifax Water representatives revealed during the meeting that the current water distribution system, installed in the late 1990s, cannot provide enough water for continuous firefighting operations.
The utility confirmed that the hydrants in the community can only deliver a limited amount of water, falling short of the necessary standards for fire suppression.
“This is a really serious inequity that we’re seeing,” said Councillor Pam Lovelace.
“We need to understand why these decisions were made in the 1990s and make sure that we can rectify them.”
Lovelace called on municipal staff to investigate potential upgrades to the area’s water infrastructure, emphasizing the need to improve safety measures for Upper Hammonds Plains.
A report from Halifax’s fire department released earlier this month highlighted the challenges the municipality faced in battling the wildfire of May 2023.
The report described the rapid spread of the fire as “unprecedented” and stated that it exceeded the operational capacity of Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency.
The findings have raised further concerns among residents about the region’s preparedness for future wildfires, particularly in areas like Upper Hammonds Plains, where water infrastructure is lacking.
“It’s completely unacceptable that this is the reality and that we still have to fight,” said Rev. Anderson.
He stressed that the historic wildfires of 2023 demonstrated the urgent need for improvements to water infrastructure for the safety of all communities.
In response to the community’s concerns, Halifax Water issued a statement acknowledging the limitations of the current water system.
“Based on the parameters of the current system, we are reviewing the system pressures and available flows and identifying opportunities to improve overall conditions,” the statement read.
Municipal staff and Halifax Water are now reviewing ways to improve water pressure and fire protection in Upper Hammonds Plains to prevent a repeat of the devastation seen during the 2023 wildfires.
Efforts are underway to explore potential upgrades to the area’s water mains.
Following a community meeting in Upper Hammonds Plains, residents voiced concerns over water pressure and fire protection as they continue to recover from the wildfires of May 2023.
The meeting included representatives from Halifax Water and Halifax Fire.
Halifax Water confirmed that the current water system, installed in the 1990s, cannot meet firefighting requirements.
Residents like Rev. Lennett Anderson are worried about future wildfires, with Anderson saying: “We have fire hydrants that cannot protect us.” Municipal officials are now reviewing options to improve water infrastructure in the region.
