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Ongoing Response at Dares Lake Dam

Details

Published: Thursday, 03 September 2026 16:03

Emergency response to a breach at the Dares Lake dam, which supplies drinking water to the Town of Lunenburg, is still underway and is expected to continue for the rest of the day and again tomorrow.

Crews and heavy equipment are working on site and have contained and stabilized the breach by strengthening the dam. Berms and trenches diverted water from the pumphouse, and crews gained access to the affected infrastructure to perform electrical and mechanical assessments, which are ongoing. Two of the three pumps are functioning but not at full capacity. The third pump is not operational, and staff are working towards replacing it as soon as possible.

Water conservation efforts are slowly producing results with low reservoir levels improving slightly. However, conservation measures will remain in place for now until levels are more sustainable. Currently, residents and businesses in the Town of Lunenburg are required to limit usage to essential purposes only, such as drinking, cooking, and sanitation. The Town of Lunenburg has released a water conservation directive on their website: townoflunenburg.ca. Levels will be reassessed this evening and tomorrow.Residents are reminded to stay away from the Dares Lake area and allow emergency personnel, contractors, and heavy equipment operators to work safely.

Local fire services will transition to rural firefighting operations if required. Water tankers and mutual aid resources are available and will be utilized as needed.There is currently no immediate risk to public safety. Should municipal water service be temporarily disrupted, community support measures will be activated to assist customers connected to the Town of Lunenburg municipal water system. Updates will be provided as information becomes available. 

Residents are encouraged to monitor official communication channels for updates and information as the situation evolves:

• Lunenburg County REMO Facebook
• Municipal websites and social media channel
• The REMO public information line at 902-530-7366 (REMO) for recorded updates when available

Critical Water Conservation - Dares Lake Dam Breach Update 3

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Published: Thursday, 03 September 2026 09:04

Response efforts resumed this morning at the Dares Lake dam outside the Town of Lunenburg following a pause overnight due to darkness and site safety considerations.

Today's priority is restoring safe access to the site so crews, contractors, and engineers can continue response efforts, assess critical infrastructure affected by the breach, and determine next steps for protecting the Town of Lunenburg's water supply.

Water conservation remains critical. Residents and businesses connected to the Town of Lunenburg municipal water system are asked to reduce water use to essential purposes only, including:

• Drinking
• Cooking
• Sanitation
• Hygiene

Every litre conserved helps preserve the community's available water supply while emergency crews work to protect critical water infrastructure.

Residents are reminded to stay away from the Dares Lake area and allow emergency personnel, contractors, and heavy equipment operators to work safely.

As a precaution, the public school in Lunenburg is closed today. Local organizations and critical service providers have been advised of the situation and are implementing contingency plans as appropriate.

Local fire services, which typically rely on hydrants, will transition to rural firefighting operations if required. Water tankers and mutual aid resources are available and will be utilized as needed.

Emergency officials continue to monitor conditions, assess impacts to the municipal water system, and plan for a range of contingencies should additional measures become necessary.

Should municipal water service be temporarily disrupted, community support measures will be activated to assist customers connected to the Town of Lunenburg municipal water system.

There is currently no immediate risk to public safety.Residents are encouraged to monitor official communication channels for updates and information as the situation evolves:

• Lunenburg County REMO Facebook
• Lunenburg County REMO and municipal websites and social media channels
• The REMO public information line at 902-530-7366 (REMO) for recorded updates when available.Additional updates will be provided as information becomes available. 

Updates will be made when new information becomes available. 

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Water Conservation Request - Dares Lake Dam Breach

Details

Published: Wednesday, 02 September 2026 17:10

• Lunenburg County REMO Facebook
• Municipal websites and social media channels
• The REMO public information line at 902-530-7366 (REMO) for recorded updates when available.

Dares Lake Dam Breach

Details

Published: Wednesday, 02 September 2026 15:22

Emergency officials and Town of Lunenburg staff are responding to a breach in the Dares Lake dam, which serves as the Town of Lunenburg's drinking water source.

Crews and heavy equipment are on site working to stabilize the breach and reduce water flow while engineers continue to assess conditions.

To support the response, Lunenburg County REMO, the region's emergency management organization, has partially activated its Emergency Coordination Centre to assist with coordination, planning, and public communications.

At this time, there are no actions required by residents, but should they choose to voluntarily reduce their water consumption, they are welcome to do so.

Emergency officials continue to monitor conditions, assess dam stability, evaluate potential downstream impacts, and monitor the municipal water supply.

Residents are asked to avoid the Dares Lake area so emergency personnel, engineers, and contractors can work safely.

• Lunenburg County REMO Facebook
• Municipal websites and social media channels
• The REMO public information line at 902-530-7366 (REMO) for recorded updates when available. 

Additional updates will be provided as information becomes available.

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