Wilmot resident says wells have ‘gone dry regularly’ amidst supply issue
Posted Mar 4, 2026 07:35:20 AM.
Last Updated Mar 4, 2026 11:12:33 AM.
Discussions around the region’s water capacity issue continue to mount, and while many aren’t seeing impacts to their showers, laundry, and taps, some residents in Wilmot Township are looking to their wells and raising some red flags.
It comes amidst the water supply problem seen in the region, which was first brought to light late last year, with the Region of Waterloo announcing that it had identified an issue within its Mannheim Service Area.
While the region said that, currently, there are no constraints seen for the cities and townships, the shortage could have an impact in the future, as it wouldn’t be able to handle Waterloo Region’s ongoing growth.
For some in Wilmot Township, though, they say they’ve started to see some warning signs when it comes to the township’s groundwater and well levels.
“We have lived there for 50 years, and we’ve never really had a problem except for extreme times,” said Martha Bricker, who recently spoke on the Mike Farwell Show. “Probably, for the last four months, our well has gone dry regularly. We’ve probably seen more shortages of water in the last year.”
Bricker lives with her husband in the local township, and both were recently in attendance at last week’s regional council meeting, where councillors discussed the possibility of pulling surplus water from Wilmot.
She said she learned a lot during that meeting, helping her put some pieces together on why their wells are starting to dwindle.
“I had no idea that it would have been because of the water taking, but then also we hear that the gravel pit, the Esbaugh Sand and Gravel pit, was wanting to take 9.7 million litres a day,” Bricker said. “That kind of panicked us, thinking, how the heck are we going to have any water after they start doing that?”
One thought was very clear from Bricker, alongside the other delegates who spoke during that same meeting, saying the township shouldn’t be forced to suffer in any way, simply for the cities’ benefit.
“I don’t think they should be taking any more water,” she stated. “I think all of us people in the country who have private wells should have the water first before the city. There must be other ways of getting water.”
She said that, even though those wells are noticeably running dry more frequently, the general communications and clarity coming from the regional horseshoe have been running dry alongside it.
“I didn’t have any questions asked of me. The only question was from our mayor, Natasha Salonen,” Bricker mentioned. “She asked if I had reported it, and I had said no, because I had no idea that we needed to do that.”
Bricker added that the supply issues and dry wells are already causing headaches in her daily life, worrying each day about how she will use what limited water she readily has access to.
“At some point, we’re going to have to sell and move; we’re hoping we don’t have to do that,” said Bricker. “We’ve lived there for so long that we’re hoping we won’t have to move in the near future, but if push comes to shove and we don’t have the water, we’re going to have to, right?”
