Coral Harbour on boil water advisory after bugs turn up in water tanks

A Coral Harbour woman photographed this insect she discovered in her drinking water last week. (PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTINA ANN ANGOOTEALUK)

Residents of Coral Harbour continued to boil their water this week after some people in the Kivalliq community discovered creatures in their water tanks that looks like worms or bugs.

On Nov. 18, the Government of Nunavut’s health department issued a boil water alert for the community of about 800 people.

Deputy mayor Ronnie Ningeongan said he hasn’t seen any of the bugs in his own tank, but he became aware that there’s an issue when friends and family members began posting images of the pests on social media.

It’s not the first time people in Coral Harbour have found bugs in their drinking water, Ningeongan said, “but not to the extent that we’ve seen this week.”

“It’s unsightly to see this kind of thing in our water system,” he said. “Of course people got a bit frantic about it.”

But Ningeongan said there have been no reports of health problems in the community, and the GN has been quick to step in and help.

Earlier this week, Ningeongan said a GN technician came to look at the community’s pump house to determine if it required a new filtration system.

Now, Ningeongan said he’s been told contractors will install a strainer through the pipes that lead into the community’s water reservoir.

“These are the kind of measures that we haven’t put money aside for,” he said. “So we’re glad the government has stepped up to help us deal with this. Things will get done next to alleviate the problem.”