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Health authorities ordered a boil-water advisory today for the entire Lower Mainland, saying torrential rains have stirred up so much sediment in Greater Vancouver’s reservoirs that tap water may be unsafe to drink.
The turbidity level -- the amount of sediment in the water -- “is the worst they’ve seen, ever,” said Vancouver Health Authority spokeswoman Viviana Zanocco.
The boil-water advisory means “you should not use your tap water for consumption, for brushing your teeth or for washing fruits and vegetables,” Zanocco said.
Residents can either use bottled water for those purposes, or boil tap water for at least a minute and then let it cool completely.
The problem is that coliform and other bacteria that may be present in the reservoirs are covered with sediment particles, possibly protecting them from the chlorine that normally kills them. |
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