No town water
Namur was founded around 1870 by settlers from Namur, Belgium. Today it has a few hundred residents along Route 323, and Quebec's environment ministry lists no municipal water system here. Every house has its own well, pump and pressure tank (wells and pumps).
With a private well, water quality is the owner's responsibility. The Quebec government recommends a bacteria test at least twice a year, in spring and fall, done by an accredited lab. Testing is done by the lab; if your water changes in taste, colour or pressure, we inspect the well and the plumbing.
Lakes and a river
Seven lakes in Namur have official names: des Aulnes, Jaune, Loignon, Mercier, à Perth, Roquet and à Ted, plus a piece of Lac du Bac. The Petite Rivière Rouge runs through too. Near water, a leaking septic tank can contaminate the lake. See septic systems.
Water lines below the frost line
Between the well and the house, the line has to run below the frost line or it may freeze in the first hard cold. We dig the trench with our own excavator and lay the pipe ourselves: one crew handles the job from excavation to connection (excavation). More in our post on water lines below frost depth.