Boil water advisory lifted in Clyde River

A boil water advisory in Clyde River related to its water crisis in November has been lifted by the Government of Nunavut’s Health Department.

The hamlet had to show the Health Department that chlorine levels in the water were at a satisfactory level, said Clyde River’s acting senior administrative officer, Billy Palluq.

From early November to Nov. 26 the water treatment plant and water pump in Clyde River were broken.

Water had to be trucked from Ayr Lake to Clyde River residents, but a shortage of water trucks and breakdowns of snow clearing equipment meant residents were waiting up to five days for water at the height of the crisis. That water from Ayr Lake had to be boiled as well.

Showing the water had proper chlorine levels was part of the Health Department’s requirements for lifting a boil water advisory, he added.

Some chlorine levels recorded for the water treatment plant were incorrect or missing, so Palluq had to decipher what the correct levels during that time were to meet the Health Department’s requirements, he said.

Having the boil water advisory remain for an additional three weeks was difficult for local businesses, he said.

Palluq gave the Northern Store as an example, as the Tim Horton’s in the store could not open without the boil water advisory being lifted. That meant Tim Horton’s staff could not work during the boil water advisory, he said.