The medical officer of health has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Thompson "due to destabilization of the Vale Inco water treatment plant. The safety of the water provided to the City of Thompson cannot be assured and a boil water advisory has been issued to ensure the protection of the public health," Manitoba Water Stewardship's Office of Drinking Water said in a press release faxed to media outlets at 4:47 a.m.
Boil water advisories are issued for a water system or a water source by a medical officer of health from Manitoba Health due to a confirmed or suspected bacteriological quality problem.
Water used for drinking purposes should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute. This applies to water used for making infant formula and juices, cooking, making ice, washing fruits and vegetables, and brushing teeth. Discard all ice made before the boil water advisory was issued, and disinfect the ice cube trays.
Adults and teens may shower or bath with untreated water as long as they can avoid swallowing water. Older children may take or be given a shower with a hand-held showerhead, avoiding the face. Younger children should be sponge-bathed instead of bathing in a tub because they are likely to swallow tub or shower water.
If boiling is not feasible, an alternate and safe supply of water, such as bottled water, should be considered, the province said.
Canada Safeway in City Centre Mall was mobbed with shoppers when the doors opened at 8 a.m and quickly sold out of bottled water, although more is expected later today.
As of 8:45 a.m., the boil water advisory had not been posted electronically online by the Government of Manitoba, Burntwood Regional Health Authority (BRHA) or the City of Thompson, but the city had it posted across its main home page within an hour of that.
