Northern health issues precautionary boil advisory for the Northwest

Northern Health has provided an advisory for those in the region who rely on their own water supplies for household water requirements. Residents living in and west of Houston through to Prince Rupert and the Queen Charlottes are advised to take safety measures if they have their own water supply.

It is not expected that the larger urban areas in the region will be affected by the troubles of the last few weeks as river waters ran over their banks, potentially contaminating those who have wells for their water supply.

From the Northern Health website:

Precautionary boil water advisory issued for Northwest residents impacted by flooding; residents also advised to take well water precautions

Northern Health has issued a precautionary boil water advisory for Northwest residents living in areas impacted by flooding. Residents living in and west of Houston through to Prince Rupert and the Queen Charlottes are advised to take safety measures if they have their own water supply.

“If a property has become flooded, well water may have become contaminated with surface water,” said Iqbal Kalsi, Northwest Manager of Public Health Protection. “In these situations, residents should take precautions and assume that the water in their home is not safe to drink.”

Northern Health will provide free water sampling kits for residents who wish to have their water supply checked for contamination. Residents can arrange to pick up these sampling kits by contacting an Environmental Health Officer at their local health unit.

Well owners are being asked to protect their well from surface water contamination and disinfect their well prior to sampling. Residents in an area where flooding has taken place should also disinfect their wells. For details on how to disinfect, contact your local environmental health officer or visit www.northernhealth.ca/Disinfectingyourwell.asp

Until water has been confirmed safe for drinking, residents should:

Obtain bottled water or water from another source that is known to be safe;

Boil water for at least one minute; or

Disinfect water with unscented liquid chlorine bleach. Add eight drops of bleach to one gallon of clear water (if the water is cloudy, double the amount of bleach). Thoroughly mix and let stand for 30 minutes.

Northern Health also advises rigorous hand-washing for residents in the affected areas and as a general preventive health measure. Hand washing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds will greatly reduce the risk of any illness that might occur following contact with contaminated water.

For more information about maintaining safe drinking water, or for residents concerned about cleaning up their homes after a flood, call your local environmental health officer or visit:

www.bchealthguide.org/healthfiles/hfile20.stm
www.pep.bc.ca/hazard_preparedness/Flood_Information.html

Media Contact: Iqbal Kalsi, Northwest Manager of Public Health Protection: (250) 638-2222