The Medical Officer of Health for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has issued a precautionary Boil Water Advisory for a localized area of southeast Winnipeg – south of Bishop Grandin Blvd. to the Perimeter, and east of the Red River to the Seine River.
The advisory is being issued on a precautionary basis due to positive results of low level bacteria in three of the samples collected within this area. The area has been resampled and the preliminary test results are expected very soon. Positive test results do happen from time to time, but have always retested negative.
The positive results were from a routine set of samples collected on Monday as part of compliance testing under the Operating Licence issued by the Provincial Office of Drinking Water. Chlorine levels in all the samples city-wide met the Operating Licence requirements.
Until further notice, all water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute before it is used for:
- drinking and ice making,
- preparing beverages (e.g., infant formula),
- preparing food, and
- brushing teeth
It is not necessary to boil tap water used for other household purposes, such as laundry or washing dishes. Adults and older children that are able to avoid swallowing the water can wash, bathe, or shower. Young children should be sponge bathed. If boiling is not feasible, an alternate and safe supply of water should be used (e.g, bottled water).
To avoid burn injuries from hot water, caution should be taken. Please keep young children away from boiling water. Place kettles and pots away from counter and stove edges.
UPDATE 10/09/2013 15:45:00:
Results received on October 9, 2013 are negative for bacteria in all the water samples retested yesterday in the localized area of southeast Winnipeg under a precautionary Boil Water Advisory. This confirms that the water meets all health and safety water quality regulations and guidelines.
The Medical Officer of Health with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority issued the precautionary advisory last evening due to positive low level results for bacteria in three of the samples taken as part of routine compliance testing under the Operating Licence issued by the Provincial Office of Drinking Water.
Positive test results do happen from time to time, but usually retest negative. City staff take all the water samples, and follow a 12 step sampling protocol. All bacteria tests are performed by a contracted lab. A number of factors can cause a water sample to have a false positive test result for bacteria, including:
- contaminated water tap at the sampling location,
- accidental contamination of the sample container,
- accidental contamination of the water during sampling, and
- accidental contamination at the laboratory during analysis.
There was more than an adequate level of chlorine for water safety in all the water samples, including the samples with positive low level results of bacteria. The chlorine levels measured met the level required in the Operating Licence and would have effectively killed any bacteria in the water.
The City has shared the test results with the the Manitoba Office of Drinking Water, Manitoba Health and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and is awaiting a decision on the status of the Boil Water Advisory issued to the City last evening.
The precautionary Boil Water Advisory was issued for the area south of Bishop Grandin to the Perimeter, and east of the Red River to the Seine River.
