Helping Communities In Need

It’s hard to imagine that more water would be on the priority list during a flood, but safe drinking water is one of the most urgent. Labatt’s Disaster Relief Program makes sure it’s there when these natural emergencies happen.

- Tina Anson Mine

Like crocuses, the rising of the Saint John River is a sign that spring has arrived in New Brunswick. Residents along its meandering path often spend April and May holding their collective breath as rain and melting ice and snow push water up and over its banks. The river keeps nearby communities—including Saint John, Fredericton, Oromocto, Maugerville, and Sheffield—in suspense, always wondering if this year’s flood will create a new historic high-water mark.

In May 2018, it came close, with what local residents call a “100 years flood.” With little warning, the river quickly overflowed, covering some roads with more than a metre of water. Sandra Day, a volunteer at the Maugerville Community Centre, says neighbours joked that “about a five-mile stretch of land was dry, and the rest was under water.” At its peak, the flood closed forty-seven roads, including the Trans-Canada Highway, and affected nearly 5,000 homes.

Like all natural disasters, floods cause havoc in many ways: washing out roads, inundating houses, and contaminating wells and reservoirs. The water sweeps up all manner of debris as it rises, and sewage systems back up, making water-borne illnesses a dangerous possibility. Ensuring that residents have adequate safe drinking water is a high priority for officials during the recovery phase, and volunteers are key to getting this and other resources to affected citizens.