A boil water advisory has been recommended for Hay River, Enterprise, Kakisa, and K’atl’odeeche Reserve.
All residents from those communities are asked to boil their drinking water for at least one minute, according to public health officials.
Such water uses that are require boiling are drinking, preparing food, using for cold and hot beverages or develop ice cubes, washing fruits and vegetables and dental hygiene must be boiled, according to the Department of Health and Social Services.
“This advisory is precautionary in nature, and is due to a re-occurrence of higher than normal turbidity (muddy water) due to the spring ice break up in the source water,” stated Damien Healy, manager of communications with the GNWT Department of Health and Social Services.
Healy said there have been no illnesses associated with drinking water in the community and that the chief environmental health officer will work with the Town of Hay River to monitor the advisory in place.
“This is of particular importance in the case of the preparation of infant formulas,” he said. “Do not drink water from public drinking fountains. It is not necessary to boil water used for other household purposes.”
Residents can still use water without boiling for showering, bathing and washing with the use of tap water but it should not be swallowed.
Bottled or processed water is acceptable for use and people can also treat their water with distillation reverse osmosis, a filter the size of one micron absolute or less.
Brita filters are not safe for use during the advisory because they don’t disinfect the water.
The department has provided a questions and answer document on its web page that residents can consult.