The lack of drinking water is an issue of growing concern, especially for several municipalities in Estrie. The droughts to come in the coming years are likely to aggravate the situation. The impacts are numerous and major.

Monique Stroobants lives in a rural residence in Sutton. The artesian well that has supplied his house for about 40 years is 200 feet deep. “It was fine before, but for a few years, there have been times when we have no more water”, says the one who has to have a new well dug.

This case is far from isolated, according to Alain Raymond, owner of Puisatiers experts: “The water table is falling, people can no longer find water. Before, we dug wells 150 to 250 feet deep. Now 300 to 400 feet is not uncommon.”

This phenomenon can be explained by climate change and the increase in water consumption. Municipalities are greatly concerned and some are already reacting. Sutton, for example, prohibits the development of a sector of the city because of a lack of drinking water.

Farmers also suffer the consequences. “Several producers have always watered their herd with surface wells, but for two years, that is no longer enough. They have to have wells dug, and it will not improve in the coming years, ”says the president of the Union of agricultural producers of Estrie, Michel Brien.