Skip to content

Port's boil water advisory to continue

After five consecutive weeks of good water sample results, Port Clements got some bad news on Monday.Public works superintendent Pete Nelson-Smith told council Monday night (May 17) that the latest results showed an unacceptable count of total coliforms in two out of five locations where water samples were taken.Mr. Nelson-Smith said Northern Health has advised the village to continue with the boil water notice that has been in place since March 22. But he cautioned that Northern Health may decide that even more action is needed."My best guess is they're going to put us on light chlorination," he said, as a temporary measure.The village had been hoping that a thorough disinfection of the water system, carried out earlier this month, would solve the water problems.Mayor Cory Delves told Mr. Nelson-Smith to take more water samples as soon as possible and send them out to several labs, rather than just one, to see if different results come back.Council members said the community is strongly against using chlorine as a permanent way of treating the water. Port has received a grant for a new water treatment system, and is working to get that built.