Back to SearchBOIL WATER NOTICE & WATER QUALITY ADVISORY
Russet Bluff Water System
Effective May 14, 2024
The boil water advisory has been rescinded, effective May 24, 2024. The water quality advisory for manganese concentration levels exceeding the maximum acceptable concentration set by the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines remains in place.
The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) is cautioning residents about a change to the water quality from the Russet Bluff Water System. On May 14, the CRD will be switching the water supply for the Russet Bluff Water System to the lower well, and is issuing both a Boil Water Notice and a Water Quality Advisory as a result.
The Boil Water Notice is required per the Drinking Water Protection Act because the lower well is designated as a “Groundwater source at risk of pathogens” (“GARP”). While no water samples received to date have indicated the presence of any coliform bacteria, the water source remains at risk. The Boil Water Notice will remain in effect unless and until another public notice is issued upon the request of a Drinking Water Officer.
A Water Quality Advisory has also been issued due to the lower well having a higher total concentration of manganese which exceeds the standard set by Health Canada through its Drinking Water Quality Standards. Water with manganese above the Health Canada Maximum Allowable Concentration may pose a risk to infants and young children.
Click here to see a map of the affected areas.
During a boil water notice, all water system users will need to bring water to a rolling boil for a minimum of one minute before using water from the system for:
- Drinking, cooking, or consuming;
- Brushing teeth, washing dishes, or washing food;
- Watering animals.
Interior Health has advised that boiling water from the system may increase its manganese concentration, and is advising residents to secure an alternative water source to provide infants and young children with any water for consumption or food preparation.
It is also recommended that residents use hand sanitizer after washing their hands with water from the system. For more information, please review the Boil Water Notice online.
The Regional District has planned two actions to mitigate future risks to residents, including adding a chlorination treatment system and investigating the costs for future manganese and iron mineral removal from the lower well. $35,000 has been budgeted from the system’s budget to pursue these improvements, which will reduce or eliminate the need for future water quality advisories. More information about these improvements will be available at a later date.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Environmental Services Department at 1-800-665-1636 or 250-392-3351, or by email to mailbox@cariboord.ca.
For more information about boil water advisories and service interruptions in the CRD and what to expect, visit our Water Notices and Advisories webpage. To receive updates on CRD water systems and other relevant information within the CRD, residents are reminded to subscribe to our email news and updates through our website. To be notified of any major water system service disruptions, you can also sign up for alerts from the Cariboo Chilcotin Emergency Notification System.
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