The test results are in and the boil water notice for the 108 Mile water system has been lifted.
The Cariboo Regional District made the announcement late Tuesday afternoon and said in a media release that all water system users may now resume normal water use.
Routine water samples taken on Nov. 20, 2017 were sent to the lab and reported to contain total coliform and E. coli on Nov. 22. Upon the direction of Interior Health, the CRD issued a Boil Water Notice that same day.
Subsequently, the CRD collected three additional rounds of water samples on Nov. 23, 24 and 27 to analyze for the presence of contamination. All three rounds of water samples were clear.
The CRD investigated the source of the bacterial contamination; however, the source remains unclear.
Construction on the 108 Mile water treatment plan continues and completion is scheduled for the end of March 2018.
Original Story published Tuesday afternoon: ‘Two of Three Test Results Give the All the Clear for 108 Water System’
The Area Director for Area G of the Cariboo Regional District is hopeful that the next test of the 108 water system will come back all clear.
Al Richmond says that they have had two tests come back all clear, and are now currently waiting for the results of another test.
“In the meantime staff has taken the precaution to chlorinate the system and to ensure that there are no contaminants in it and we continue to have our diligence. Folks also over the weekend responded to reports that someone was climbing over the tower and putting something in the tower-that was one of our water works employees who were chlorinating.”
Richmond says to date there has been no source of contamination and that that the boil water notice could have been the result of a false lab test.
The boil water notice was issued by the CRD on November 22 “because of a contamination of the system with Total Coliforms and E.Coli.”
Until the boil water notice is officially lifted, all users of the 108 water system are still asked to boil water for a minimum of one minute before drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, washing dishes, washing fruits, and vegetables, and also watering animals.