Water outside the impact area at Mount Polley tailings pond breach is still safe to drink. That is according to the latest test results from the ministry of environment.
The ministry says the latest water samples from Quesnel Lake and Hazeltine Creek are consistent with previous results.
Results in Quesnel River off the Likely Bridge were below drinking water and aquatic life guidelines.
The ministry says exceedances for drinking water guidelines at Quesnel Lake at Hazeltine Creek included total phosphorus, aluminum, iron and manganese. Additionally, samples collected in Hazeltine Creek exceed drinking water guidelines for arsenic, chromium, copper and lead.
READ MORE: First Nations, residents call for more testing after Mount Polley mine disaster
Turbidity and total suspended solids levels are above aquatic life guidelines at both sample sites.
The ministry says long-term monitoring and testing is necessary to help better determine and understand any potential long-term impacts to aquatic life.
Interior Health continues to advise residents to avoid drinking cloudy water.
The samples were collected between Sept. 18 and Oct. 15.
A breach of the tailings pond on Mount Polley Mine on Aug. 4 sent five million cubic metres of waste into Hazeltine Creek, Quesnel Lake and Polley Lake. Imperial Metals, the company behind the spill, now estimates the size of the spill from the collapse of its mine tailings dam to be nearly 70 per cent larger than its first estimate.
Residents in the area were subjected to strict water restrictions in the wake of the incident.
In August, provincial government announced an independent investigation into the breach.
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