A boil-water advisory has been issued in Abbotsford for households in the Clearbrook Waterworks District after the system was “breached at the reservoir.”
The notice from the district was posted and sent Friday (Nov. 8), saying that E.coli bacteria was found in the water, and the breach is being investigated.
“We are currently in the process of disinfecting the reservoir and continuing enhanced monitoring,” the notice states.
“In addition,we are evaluating all available information and conducting tests to confirm the extent of the contamination of the system.”
In the meantime, residents are urged to not use the water without boiling it first for a least one minute or to use bottled water.
This includes for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, washing ready-to-eat foods and washing dishes.
Other methods of treating the water include using iodine/chlorine tablets or adding two drops of household bleach (5%) per litre and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy or cold, add four drops per litre.
Most household Brita-type water filters will not remove the contaminates, the notice states.
The Clearbrook Waterworks District said they are flushing chlorinated water through the system, and this could cause taste or odour concerns. But boiling the water should resolve the issues.
The district said it will inform residents when the tests show no bacteria and water no longer needs to be boiled.
“We anticipate resolving the problem quickly,” the notice states.
The approximate boundaries for the district are Trethewey Street, west to Highway One and Pearonville Road (north side), north to Charlotte Avenue.
Residents can check for updates and a map of the district at clearbrookwaterworks.com.
The Clearbrook Waterworks District has been named the best in the world seven times in the annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting event.
The Clearbrook tap water is pumped directly from a 100-square-kilometre underground aquifer to more than 15,000 people. No chlorine, fluoride or other chemicals are used.
The rest of Abbotsford gets chemically treated water mainly from Norrish Creek in Mission.
RELATED: Water in Clearbrook area of Abbotsford named best in world for 7th time
