Boil water advisory lifted in Halifax and surrounding areas

HALIFAX — A boil water advisory that affected more than 200,000 people who live and work in Halifax and the surrounding area was lifted Wednesday morning, 40 hours after it went into effect.

Halifax Water issued a warning Monday night after an electrical problem at its Pockwock Lake water treatment plant caused unchlorinated water to enter the system.

Jeff Myrick, communications manager for the utility, said the boil order was lifted after tests confirmed that the unchlorinated water had been sufficiently mixed with chlorinated water in the facility’s system. He said chlorination is the final step in the water treatment process before it is ready for use.

Myrick said the partially treated water did not pose a serious health risk, echoing statements made by regional medical officer of health Dr. Monika Dutt on Tuesday.

“There wasn’t really a high risk of viruses or bacteria in the water,” Myrick said in an interview. “It was more of a precaution.”

He said the utility still doesn’t know what caused the electrical problem that prompted the boil order. It’s investigating why backup generators weren’t turned on, but Myrick couldn’t say how long the investigation will take.

“We’re going to look at everything because this should never have happened. It shouldn’t have happened and we want to make sure it never happens again,” he said.

The utility issued a statement Wednesday morning advising residential and business customers to flush all water-storing appliances for 10 minutes. Halifax Water also said that any ice cubes made during the advisory period should be thrown away.

The utility confirmed that the water is now safe for all customers at the Pockwock Lake facility.

On Tuesday, grocery stores in the Halifax area reported running out of bottled water and hospitals said they were bathing patients with waterless bath products. Some daycares and restaurants were ordered to close, and those that remained open used pitchers and boiled water to serve customers safely.

Communities affected included Halifax Peninsula, Beaver Bank, Middle and Lower Sackville, Hammonds Plains, Bedford, Timberlea, Spryfield and Herring Cove.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2024.

Cassidy McMackon, The Canadian Press