By Corey Fischer

Boil Water Notice For All Of Armstrong; WQA in Spallumcheen

May 31, 2018 | 3:08 PM

A boil water notice has been issued for all customers supplied by the City of Armstrong.

It affects about 5,600 people.

The City and Interior Health says testing shows that current water quality is poor due to increased coliform counts.

The City’s public works manager, Dog MacKay, says the city has been using groundwater as its water source due to turbidity in the normal Fortune Creek source.

The groundwater has a high manganese content that diminishes the disinfection effect of chlorine.

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Mackay says that can lead to disinfection issues at the extremities of the distribution network.

“Whats happened in this particular case is we have one spot where the coliform count is over 10, and we’ve tested that now twice, and in both cases, it’s been over 10, so then we need to advise the public we need to go to a boil water advisory,” MacKay tells Beach Radio News.

MacKay says the boil notice will be in effect at least until next Tuesday, which is when the next round of testing will be completed.

It’s recommended people drink boiled water or a safe alternative until further notice.

Water intended for drinking, washing fruits and vegetables, making beverages or ice, or brushing teeth should be held at a rolling boil for one minute.

Residents on the Pleasant Valley, Hankey, Round Prairie water system in Spallumcheen are under a water quality advisory due to increased coliform counts.

Young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems may want to drink boiled or bottled water as a precaution.

Listen to Doug Mackay, Public Works Manager for the City of Armstrong, with more details on the boil water notice: