Inukjuak under boil-water advisory after E. coli detected at water plant
Residents should boil water for at least two minutes, officials say
A boil-water advisory is in place in Inukjuak after E.coli bacteria was detected at the loading arm of the community’s water treatment plant. (File photo by Dominique Gené)
Inukjuak residents should boil their drinking water for at least two minutes after E. coli bacteria was detected at the loading arm of the community’s water treatment plant, according to a Kativik Regional Government news release.
The contamination was identified through routine water-quality monitoring and reported by a private laboratory in Montreal, said Alfred Nikiema, co-ordinator of the regional government’s Technical Assistance Program, which assists communities with water management.
E. coli is a bacteria commonly found in the intestines of people and animals. While many strains are harmless, some can cause illnesses such as diarrhea and food poisoning, Nikiema said.
The boil-water advisory was issued on June 6 as a precaution, he added.
Officials are currently disinfecting the water system and increasing chlorine treatment while investigating the source of the contamination.
He said there is currently no timeline for lifting the advisory. Additional testing will be required to determine whether the water is safe for consumption.
(0) Comments