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Scheduled water main work may cause brown water, city says

Brown water pours from a tap in Winnipeg in 2013. Parts of the West End, St. James and River Heights might experience brown water starting Tuesday as city staff inspects a feeder main. FILE: Handout / Brad Lillie

WINNIPEG – Parts of the West End, St. James and River Heights might experience brown water starting Tuesday as city staff inspect a feeder water main, a city news release says.

The areas bounded by Wellington Avenue, Wolseley Avenue, Dominion Street and St. James Street, and River Heights from Wellington Crescent to Corydon Avenue and from Waverley Street to Kenaston Boulevard are most likely to be affected.

City staff plan to turn off a feeder main, which carries water from a pumping station to the water main network.

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“Any time there is a major change in the rate or direction of water flow in water mains, sediment (including dead algae and minerals in the water pipes) may loosen and be released into the water,” the news release says.

Anyone who has brown water is advised not to use it for anything that requires clean water, such as drinking, food preparation and laundry. While health officials have said they don’t believe drinking the brown water poses a health risk, it doesn’t taste or smell pleasant and it can stain clothes, the city advised.

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Anyone who experiences brown water should run a tap for a few minutes, preferably in the bathtub, then catch some water in a light-coloured cup, the city says. If the water isn’t clear, turn off the tap, wait 30 minutes and try again. If it’s still not clear after two or three hours, call 311.

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