WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority confirmed that the city remains under a boil water advisory Wednesday. During an update just after 4 p.m. the WRHA says the advisory will remain in effect even after the first retests came back negative.
“In accordance with Health Canada’s guidance for issuing and rescinding boil water advisories two sets of negative samples are required 24 hours apart,” says Dr. Lisa Richards from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.
VIDEO: First set of samples returns negative for bacteria; advisory still in effect
New tests on Winnipeg water have found no E. coli contamination, but a boil water advisory remains in effect, Mayor Brian Bowman said at a city hall news conference at 3 p.m. The city does not have authority to lift boil water advisories, he explained.
VIDEO: Winnipeg boil water advisory still in effect
“The testing that we’ve conducted over the last 24 hours has come back negative, which means, according to our experts … they’re false positives,” Bowman said. “That being said, the province has the authority to lift the precautionary boil water advisory. Once we receive that indication, we’ll obviously notify Winnipeggers as quickly as possible.”
READ MORE: Winnipeg boil water advisory: What you need to know
VIDEO: Winnipeg mayor, city officials apologize for inconvenience of boil water advisory
City officials announced the boil water advisory shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday after six water tests were positive for E. coli bacteria.
The city issued the boil water advisory out of an “abundance of caution,” Mayor Brian Bowman said at a news conference Tuesday.
VIDEO: What’s the process for testing Winnipeg’s water for E. coli?
READ MORE: Winnipeg doing new tests after boil water advisory issued
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