The rain has been a welcome relief to people with brown lawns and parched gardens….but it wasn’t enough to refill the city’s drinking water  resevoirs.

Three lakes in the Saint John watershed are down about a metre and the city is preparing for possible water restrictions or boil orders. Brent McGovern, the commissioner of Saint John Water, told the Telegraph-Journal Latimer Lake, Loch Lomond Lake and Spruce Lake are all down with sediment exposed. There’s an increased risk that sediment could mix into the water because of this week’s rain. So they are watching closely and urging residents to cut back on their water use, especially for things like washing cars and watering lawns.