So how many times in the last five years have we consumed water that is considered unsafe? We wouldn’t know anything about this if Trustee Kaljur hadn’t raised the issue June 21, 2018 and the rest of the trustees trying to prevent her from speaking up ever since.
Look at the way Kaljur was attacked for trying to get the report from the Water Superintendent which was passed unanimously June 21, 2018. Chair claims the water is tested daily and there is nothing wrong with the water.
Think of how many residents have compromised immune systems and have NEVER been advised the water was not tested when turbidity was above 1. NTU. Just not done – by choice. The Water Superintendent has never taken any action even when the turbidity was almost 3. NTU according to previous water reports. Why has this happened and why won’t this board discuss it?
What plans do they have in place when a boil water advisory is issued? There are folks who sign up for email notices from UBID. Heard some notices were put up around Kilmarnock. What other means are used to notify the public? How long will it take for everyone to be advised?
-Boil Water Notice –
For immediate release
December 15th, 2018
The Union Bay Improvement District (UBID) in consultation with Island Health has issued a Boil Water Notice for all users of the UBID water system. Affected users are those connected to the water system, which extends from the north end of Kilmarnock to the south end at the Buckley Bay rest stop.
The boil water notice has been issued due to unacceptable levels of turbidity. The regulatory health standard for turbidity is 1 NTU or less.
It is advised to boil water for one minute prior to consumption or prior to washing vegetables, teeth brushing or food preparation
UBID is continually monitoring the water quality and will provide updates as they become available. Watch for updates at www.union-bay.ca and listen to your local radio stations for more information.
This notice is effective until further notice.
Map of distribution area
Media contact: Danny McGill, Superintendent of Waterworks, 250-218-5127
About turbidity
Union Bay Improvement District is in the design phase of constructing a water treatment plant that will include processes which will greatly reduce the occurrence of water quality advisories. The design will be released for tender in January 2019 with an anticipated construction start in March 2019.
New health regulations require that a turbidity level of 1 NTU initiates a response chain, which starts with increased communications between the water supplier and the health authorities. UBID has adopted a rigid Turbidity Response Tree that adheres to current regulations and have been approved by the Drinking Water Officer at Island Health. High turbidity can interfere with the treatment process and the disinfection of water with chlorine by creating a ‘hiding place’ for potential pathogens.
Turbidity is measure of lights scattered by the size and number of particles present in raw water. This could be an indication of activity in the lake and / or watershed. Heavy rains storms can stir up the lake, elk can create turbidity plumes by walking through a tributary, road activity – driving, off-road vehicles – can all lead to a situation where the turbidity level rises in Langley Lake.
The suspected cause for the increase in turbidity is the heavy rainfall and winds.
UBID has increased monitoring of turbidity, bacteriological samples and chlorine residue and will continue to update those affected of any changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.: How do I boil tap water so that it is safe to consume?
Tap water should be boiled for one minute. Use any clean pot or kettle. Kettles that have automatic shut offs are acceptable. After boiling, let the water cool by leaving it on the counter or in the refrigerator in covered containers. After water is boiled it can be stored in food grade containers at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Q.: When will the notice be lifted?
The notice will be lifted once the health authorities, in conjunction with the Superintendent of Waterworks, have concluded that the potential risk has been mitigated.
Q.: What are the health risks during a boil water notice?
The health risks associated with ingesting water that has not been boiled are hard to estimate. The Notice was issued because conditions exist that make it impossible to ensure the safety of the water without boiling it first. The risk could be low if no actual contamination occurred or very high if pathogens are present. However, you can be confident that boiling your tap water for one minute is sufficient to destroy any pathogens that are present in the water.
It is important to note that Boil Water Notices are specific to microbiological threats. They are not appropriate to address threats from chemical contamination. Boiling chemically contaminated water will only result in the chemical becoming more concentrated or release the chemical into the air where it could be inhaled. In such cases a different kind of Notice would be used.
Q.: What should I do once the notice has been lifted?
- Run cold-water faucets and drinking fountains for one minute before using the water
- Drain and flush all ice-making machines in your refrigerator
- Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle
- Drain and refill hot water tanks set below 45 C (normal setting is 60 C)
- Change any pre-treatment filters (under sink style and refrigerator water filters, carbon block, activated carbon, sediment filters, etc.)
Island Health FAQs, here
This is what the Chair published Oct. 30, 2018, trying to justify not adhering to the 2013 Turbidity Tree claiming there hasn’t been a boil water advisory for 40 years. Well, if you’re not testing the water to confirm it’s safe, then I doubt there would be a boil water advisory.
allthingsunionbay 
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