EDMONTON – A boil-water advisory was issued Tuesday afternoon for Canadian Forces Base Wainwright and the adjacent town. The advisory is a precaution due to increased turbidity levels, along with a structural defect at the water treatment plant on the central Alberta military base.
Turbidity is a measure of the relative clarity or cloudiness of water, according to Health Canada.
Since the Town of Wainwright utilizes the same water supply, residents are urged to follow the ban. No illnesses have been reported, and officials say tests for bacteria so far have come back negative.
All water used for drinking, preparing food or drinks, washing fruits/vegetables and dental hygiene must be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute before being used. Base officials say that’s especially important if the water is being used to prepare infant formulas or being consumed by people with chronic diseases.
The emergency alert says under the advisory, activated carbon water filters – such as Brita filters – are not a safe method for treating water. Bottled water is a safe alternative.
Tap water is still safe for household purposes such as bathing, doing laundry and washing dishes.
The advisory will remain in effect until base officials determine it’s no longer necessary.
Increased water turbidity affected another central Alberta community last spring. Drayton Valley was put under a mandatory boil water advisory for 10 days in May 2014. The town draws its water from the North Saskatchewan River, and increased sediment caused the plant’s filters to clog and reduced its capacity to safely filter water.
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