Water ban continues in Thornton
by Richard Blanchard

A ban on watering in the village of Thornton will continue despite last weekend's rain.

Essa Township clerk Carol Trainor said that the rainfall on Sunday, which was around a half inch in some parts of the township had not made a significant improvement to the village's water reservoir.

"The rain on the weekend was not nearly enough," she said.

The township instituted the total watering ban, which was requested by the Ontario Clean Water Agency which operates the township's water and sewage systems, last Friday because the reservoir levels were decreasing at an alarming rate.

Thornton residents were prohibited from any and all lawn watering, vehicle washing and any other not essential use of water.

"We were in danger of the pumps shutting down as they had been working at and above capacity for some time," said the clerk.

She said that water restrictions had been in place since June 1 but some residents continued to flaunt them by continue to water outside of the stated hours.

Both the township's by-law enforcement department and the Nottawasaga OPP are conducting random patrols of the village.

"We haven't charged anyone yet. We are asking for compliance first," said Trainor who said that problems with Thornton's water supply remain critical.