The boil water advisory issued for the City of Thompson Aug. 13 by Dr. Wil Libisch of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has been rescinded and the public water system is safe to consume drinking water from, city manager Randy Patrick said at 1:46 p.m. today.
The medical officer of health reports, "treatment processes at the water treatment plant have stabilized and the distribution system has been adequately flushed. We have also received results from the laboratory showing that the water is bacteriologically safe. For these reasons, the boil water advisory is now being lifted."
The medical officer of health says now that the boil water advisory has been lifted, Thompson residents should before drinking tap water:
Purge your entire plumbing system by running cold water faucets, drinking water fountains and water coolers for five minutes before using them;Flush automatic icemakers: make and discard three batches of ice;Flush all garden hoses by running cold water through them for five minutes;Remove and clean all screens on tapsReplace or clean any water treatment equipment as per manufacturers instructions (ex. change cartridge filters)Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle.
A medical officer of health can issue a boil water advisory for a water system or a water source due to a confirmed or suspected bacteriological quality problem. In the case of Thompson, all of the Vale Inco-supplied water originates as surface water, unlike southern Manitoba, where much of the drinking water supplies comes from wells.
Over the last month in Manitoba communities with public water systems, in addition to the City of Thompson and Vale Inco, boil water advisories have been issued by public health officials for Duck Bay, Prairie Lake Lodge, White Horse Village, Camp Neustadt and Nelson House - issued Aug. 11 - just two days before the City of Thompson and Vale Inco advisories.
