Hay River, Kátł’odeeche, Enterprise, Ka’a’gee Tu Day 3 of water advisory

The communities of Hay River, Enterprise, Kátł’odeeche First Nation and Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation (Kakisa) are on day three of water advisories due to high levels of disinfection by-products in the water.

The by-products, known as Trihalomethanes, were detected in the drinking water on Monday.

Glenn Smith, SAO for Hay River said that a public information session will be held on Thursday at 7 pm at the Community Hall and livestreamed on the town’s Youtube page.

The Chief Environmental Health Officer reported that people who have been exposed may not have symptoms immediately and that risks are associated with long term exposure.

“We are advising residents out of an abundance of caution as lifetime exposure (70 years or more) to high levels of THMs may potentially increase the risk of cancer in individuals.”

The Environmental Health Unit is working with the Town of Hay River, to monitor water quality and to reduce levels of the Trihalomethanes.

The Chief Environmental Health Officer said that heightened levels of Trihalomethanes. are caused by the reaction of chlorine with naturally occurring organic material in water, such as decaying plants and vegetation.

The officer said that treatment plant optimization is scheduled for November and will include “a series of technical adjustments” by the town of Hay River.

This will involve reducing levels of Trihalomethanes while maintaining safe levels of chlorine.

“Monthly testing will follow to support ongoing enhanced monitoring,” said officials in the announcement issued on Monday.

North Now has reached out to the Chief Environmental Health Officer and to community leadership for Hay River, Enterprise, Kátł’odeeche First Nation and Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation (Kakisa) for more information.

The Chief Environmental Health Officer is advising residents of affected communities to take the following precautions:

Advice for Drinking Water

• Fill a pitcher with water and leave it in the fridge for 24 hours without covering it, before consuming the water. This allows the THMs to partially evaporate.
• Use a pour-over filtration water pitcher, such as Brita or other commercial filters, for your drinking water.
• Install a filter on your faucet or under your sink that is certified to remove THMs.
  look for a filter labeled with the NSF/ANSI 53 certification mark
  follow the manufacturer’s instructions on installing and maintaining your device; for example, filters should be replaced regularly
• Both point-of-use (tap-mounted or under-sink) and pour-through pitcher-style activated carbon filters are also effective options.
• Alternatively, you can use bottled water. Do not drink water straight from a lake or river.
• When preparing baby formula, bring the water to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute uncovered, before using it. The THMs will evaporate, and any microbes will be destroyed. This advice can also be followed when preparing drinking water for pregnant women.

Advice for Food Preparation

• Use filtered water or bottled water for food preparation.
• When using tap water for boiling, steaming, or washing dishes with hot water, ensure the kitchen is well-ventilated by opening windows or running an exhaust fan. This helps to disperse the vaporized THMs, which can be inhaled in enclosed, steamy spaces.
• Tap water can be used to wash fruits and vegetables.
• Shower, Bath and Housekeeping Use
• Take shorter baths (less than 30 minutes per day), or showers (less than 10 minutes per day).
• Spend only a short time in any activity that generates steam in an enclosed space.
• Open windows or use a fan when bathing or showering.
• Tap water can be used for brushing teeth and washing hands
• Tap water can be used regularly for laundry