Drinking Water Advisories

A Boil Water Advisory is issued when the health unit suspects or has confirmed that harmful bacteria are present in the drinking water and the water is not safe for drinking or other uses. Boiling the water will kill the harmful bacteria.

A Do Not Drink Water Advisory is issued when the health unit suspects or has confirmed that unacceptable levels of chemical contaminants are present in the drinking water and the water is not safe for drinking or other uses. Boiling the water WILL NOT remove the contaminants. An alternate water source, such as bottled water, must be used.

A Do Not Use Water Advisory is issued when the health unit suspects or has confirmed that chemical/ radiological products or contaminants are present in the water and the water is not safe for drinking or other uses. In this case, the water from the drinking water system should not be used under any circumstances and skin contact must also be avoided.

A Health Information Advisory is issued when the health unit has determined that there are elevated levels of sodium or naturally occurring fluoride detected in the drinking water that could pose a health risk to certain individuals. Not all persons would be affected by these levels, and it is for informational purposes only. For example, elevated sodium levels in drinking water will only affect those on sodium-restricted diets.