Vermontโs drought is now classified as severe across more than half the state, forcing communities to make tough decisions about water use. The Hinesburg Fire Department says this is one of the driest stretches many towns have seen in years, with roughly 60% of Vermont experiencing severe drought conditions. Fire Chief Prescott Nadeau says the department has had to rethink its daily operations to conserve water.
โIt really hits home when you start having folks call asking if we can come fill their wells as a temporary fix,โ Nadeau said. โThe issue is the town of Hinesburg can’t do that. We are on our own municipal well. And so folks that are on a private well, we have to send them to a local freshwater hauler as an interim fix.โ Keeping enough water in the system for emergencies remains the top priority, which has meant adjusting how firefighter training is conducted.
Instead of using thousands of gallons of fresh water for drills, crews now recycle the same 1,000 gallons through a portable pond, a solution designed to keep them prepared while cutting back on water use. The drought has also increased the risk of wildfires as dry grass and brush create more fuel for flames. Nadeau is urging neighbors to do their part, from taking shorter showers to waiting to run dishwashers, and being cautious with anything that could start a fire.
โSmall efforts like that, knowing that we are truly all in this together, from the fire department to the citizens that we serve,โ he said. The Agency of Natural Resources is encouraging residents with low or dry wells to report their situation and visit its website for a list of local water haulers and other drought resources.
