Public Health Advisory for Hay River, Kátł’odeeche First Nation, Enterprise and Kakisa

YELLOWKNIFE (June 2, 2021) – The Chief Environmental Health Officer is advising all residents in Hay River, Kátł’odeeche First Nation, Enterprise and Kakisa that the precautionary Boil Water Advisory has been lifted.

Residents who receive their water from the Town of Hay River water supplier were asked to boil their water due to higher than normal turbidity, or muddy water.

There have been no illnesses associated with drinking water reported in the community.

Turbidity in the source water resulted from the spring break-up of ice in the river. The Town of Hay River and the Chief Environmental Health Officer have observed that the turbidity levels have dropped to acceptable levels in treated water from the water plant. The precautionary Boil Water Advisory is now lifted. Normal use of drinking water may resume.

The Department of Health and Social Services recommends that residents and businesses flush their water supply by doing the following:

• Run all cold water faucets and drinking fountains for 1 minute before use;
• Flush and clean all water-using equipment, such as soda fountains, coffee makers and ice-making machines, for at least 1 minute;
• Change all point of use filters (tap mounted carbon filters, Brita filters, etc);
• Flush and clean all coffee machines;
• Drain and flush all ice-making machines;
• Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle;
• Drain and refill hot water heaters; and
• Drain and clean water-holding tanks.

Information and a video on how to drain and clean water-holding tanks is available on http://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/health/environmental-health/drinking-water .

Media Contact

Damien Healy
Manager of Communications
Department of Health and Social Services
Government of the Northwest Territories
Damien_Healy@gov.nt.ca(link sends e-mail)

NT5