MONTREAL – Residents of most municipalities in the West Island are being advised not to drink their tap water, even if it has been boiled first.
The water treatment plant of Pointe Claire issued a non-consumption advisory Friday warning the residents of Pointe Claire, Kirkland, Beaconsfield, Baie d’Urfé, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Senneville and Dollard des Ormeaux not to drink water from the municipal network until further notice. The affected municipalities have a combined population of 130,000 people.
The problem stems from a problem at the Pointe Claire water treatment facility that supplies much of the West Island with drinking water, Pointe Claire city spokesman Nicolas Bouchard said.
Officials noted a drop in chlorine levels, “indicating there was something in the water that was neutralizing the chlorine,” Pointe Claire Mayor Bill McMurchie said. Adding more chlorine didn’t help, indicating there was a contamination they couldn’t treat, and they issued the “don’t consume water” advisory. It’s the first time to McMurchie’s knowledge a “don’t consume advisory” has been issued by the city.
City employees have been going door-to-door to advise residents, as well as sending out an automated phone message to residents of all affected municipalities.
Get breaking National news
Residents are advised not to drink the water, even it has been boiled first, or use it to brush their teeth or make coffee. It can be used for washing dishes, laundry and bathing.
“When the non-consumption water advisory will be lifted, you will receive a notice,” the city reported in a bulletin issued at 5:30 PM Friday.
By Friday evening, residents were already stocking up.
“I’d say one in three customers is buying water,” said Tamarra Ventura, a cashier at the IGA in Dollard des Ormeaux. “One guy just picked up a case of 24 (half-litre) bottles.” Managers at other stores said they were preparing to buy more supplies Saturday.
“I was wondering why so much water was moving,” said a cashier at the Metro store in Kirkland. “Normally, nobody buys it.”
Residents reported that shelves at several stores were empty Friday night.
McMurchie said the latest incident was not connected to earlier problems in some areas of the West Island. A boil water advisory had been issued on Thursday for residents in the southern sector of Kirkland because of a valve being accidently closed at the Pointe Claire plant.
The information hotline is (514) 630-1314.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.