Iqaluit city staff announce BBQ; water crisis remains unresolved

A City of Iqaluit worker fills water containers for residents who have lacked water this week. (PHOTO BY JANET ARMSTRONG)

In the midst of a major water crisis — whose end is not yet in sight — Iqaluit city workers plan to set aside some time for fun.

In an Aug. 11 public service announcement, the city asked residents of Nunavut’s capital to conserve water and that all City of Iqaluit offices and the public works department would close Aug. 14 at 12 p.m. for their annual staff barbecue.

The city and the Government of Nunavut have also issued a boil water advisory for the affected areas.

Trucked services will start at 6 a.m. on Aug. 14, the PSA said, to allow enough time for the trucks’ routes to be completed before they go off the road.

“Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause; please conserve water,” the PSA said.

The advice to conserve water by doing less or no laundry and by not using use dishwashers “unless absolutely necessary” will not help some in the city who have been without water since Aug. 8.

They’re obliged to put water containers out by the side of the road so they can get filled with water — and if they want to take a shower, they must head to the Arctic Winter Games arena complex.

The city’s regular trucked services will resume Aug. 15, the city said.