Boil water advisory issued in Gjoa Haven
Leak found in water line between lake and treatment plant
Gjoa Haven residents were advised Friday to boil their drinking water after a mechanical issue was detected at the community’s water treatment plant the previous day. (Photo by Nehaa Bimal)
People in Gjoa Haven should boil their drinking water until further notice because of a mechanical issue at the community’s water treatment plant.
The Department of Health issued a public health advisory about the issue on Friday.
The advisory instructs people to bring all water intended for consumption to a rolling boil for at least one full minute.
The measure applies to water for drinking, preparing infant formula, making juices and ice cubes, washing fruits and vegetables, cooking and brushing teeth.
The department reminds residents who use camp stoves to boil water to do it outdoors to prevent carbon monoxide from entering the home.
In a separate update posted to Facebook on Thursday, the Hamlet of Gjoa Haven said a leak was detected in the water line between the lake and the treatment plant.
The hamlet said it is working with the Government of Nunavut to locate and repair the leak. Repairs could take a day or longer, and water delivery will be limited as a result.
One water truck will be used to haul treated water from the lake pumphouse to key facilities, including the continuing care centre, health centre, schools and the Amundsen Inn.
Other deliveries will be made as needed, the hamlet said.
The hamlet asks people in the community to conserve water and be patient with dispatchers, drivers and other staff working to maintain the water system.
“a leak was detected in the water line between the lake and the treatment plant.”
That means: The leaking water is raw (untreated) source water It is not yet drinking water. On its own, that leak does not automatically contaminate treated water. So from a strictly logical standpoint, it sounds like:
“Why would people need to boil water that’s already been treated?” Asking for a friend.
The water is being trucked from the pump house instead of the water treatment plant. When they treat it at the pumphouse that just means its chlorinated but not tested as every single truckload would need testing. More logical to issue a BWA