ILE-PERROT – A few thousand residents and business owners on Ile-Perrot are being asked to boil their tap water before drinking it because traces of E-coli were found in the city’s water system earlier this week.
“It’s hard to tell too because you don’t know if it looks like something or if it’s just there,” said resident Ashley Cordeiro, who was extremely concerned to hear that traces of fecal matter were found in her drinking water.
“They said they found E-coli, which is a little scary.”
What’s even scarier for many Ile-Perrot residents is that the possible contamination dates back to Monday, April 7 when traces of E-coli were found in one out of four random tests.
“It’s since April 7 that the water is no good and we heard about it yesterday,” said Stephanie Gobeil.
The city admits it took too long to advice residents.
In fact, some people living in the so-called red zone didn’t even know about it.
Julie Sauve hadn’t heard about the contaminated water until Global News spoke to her.
“I go to my mailbox every day,” she said,
“I know that the city could have dropped papers in my mailbox. This is a lack of responsibility.”
City officials blame the 48 hour delay on the time it takes to transport the samples for testing and on the 24 hour incubation period.
“It’s just one test. Tomorrow we will receive the result of the new test and if it’s negative we’ll do a new one,” said Sebastien Carrier, of the City of Ile-Perrot.
“On Saturday night we’re supposed to have the final test.”
Until at least Saturday, people living between 22nd avenue and Notre-Dame-de-l’Ile-Perrot will need to boil their tap water for at least one minute before drinking it.
People with underlying health conditions are being advised to avoid tap water all together and use bottled water until the advisory is lifted.
“I have kids here I have a daycare so ya I’m worried about it very worried,” said Gobeil.
Close to a dozen posters are set up in the affected area, and the city insists all the latest information can be found on their website.
“I’m very surprised for that because we asked for the employees for public works ad fire department to pass door by door,” said Carrier.
Nevertheless, they are still unsure of how sewage seeped into the water system.
Some suspect it may be the rising water levels after the winter season.
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