Boil water advisory lifted for 2 Wood Buffalo hamlets but remains in place for Fort McMurray

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo announced Monday that boil water advisories have been lifted for the communities of Anzac and Gregoire Lake Estates but that such an advisory “remains in place for all neighbourhoods in the urban service area of Fort McMurray, Waterways and Saprae Creek.”

On its website, the RMWB said that Alberta Health Services’ lifting of boil water advisories for Anzac and Gregoire Lake Estates means that “satisfactory water quality has been restored.”

Just last week, officials had said the boil water advisory for Fort McMurray was expected to be in place until September. While it remains in place for that community, officials said Friday they now believe it could be lifted before September.

READ MORE: Fort McMurray could lift boil water advisory sooner than expected

“Our staff, engineering consultants and the two provincial departments have collaborated closely to refine the plan, and we look forward to the boil water advisory being lifted before September,” the municipality’s deputy chief administrative officer, Matthew Hough, said in a news release on Friday.

Boil water advisories were issued for parts of the region after recent floods forced about 13,000 people from their homes in Fort McMurray after an ice jam on the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers caused water levels to rise. All mandatory evacuation orders were lifted earlier this month.

For general information about how to use water safely during a boil water advisory, please visit albertahealthservices.ca or call Health Link at 811.

As members of the Fort McMurray community continue flood recovery work, RMWB Mayor Don Scott issued a statement on Monday now that Disaster Recovery Program applications are being accepted by the provincial government.

“I strongly urge all flood-impacted residents, businesses and property owners to apply for the government of Alberta’s Disaster Recovery Program,” he said.

READ MORE: Province announces $147M in disaster funding for northern Alberta residents affected by floods

On Friday, the province announced $100 million in DRP funding will be made available as part of the region’s flood recovery.

“We again thank Premier (Jason) Kenney, Minister (Kaycee) Madu and our MLAs, Laila Goodridge and Tany Yao, for their efforts in making this much-needed and timely support available to our community,” Scott said. “It is appreciated.

“I recognize that these are stressful times for all of you that have been impacted. On top of this devastating flood, we are all dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 and other challenges all at the same time.”

READ MORE: Councillors pass motions to help Fort McMurray residents with flood recovery

Scott added that he and RMWB councillors would continue to work to help make the recovery effort easier. Last week, the RMWB council passed several motions aiming at helping area residents and businesses hit hard by the flood.

Watch below: Some recent Global News videos about flooding in northern Alberta.

1:56 Disaster relief funding coming for northern Alberta residents affected by floods

• Disaster relief funding coming for northern Alberta residents affected by floods
• $147M in disaster funding for northern Alberta residents affected by floods
• Fort Vermilion evacuees return home to severe flood damage
• Mental health impacts of overcoming a natural disaster
• Fort McMurray beings to clean up as flood waters recede
• Fort McMurray businesses impact by flood
• Flood mitigation in the works amid 100-year Fort McMurray flood
• Damage assessments underway in Fort Vermilion after Peace River flood waters recede

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