Halifax boil-water advisory still ongoing, premier calls it ‘complete embarrassment’

An ongoing boil water advisory is continuing to affect more than 200,000 customers in Halifax on Thursday.

A boil-water advisory affecting more than 200,000 people in the Halifax area will remain in effect until further notice – and it’s impacting medical procedures.

The advisory was first issued early Tuesday morning following a power interruption at the JD Kline (Pockwock) Lake Water Treatment Facility Monday night.

Halifax Water says the issue stemmed from a planned power outage in the Hammonds Plains area. During the outage, the backup system kicked in, but the facility experienced an electrical failure and a fuse was blown.

The utility says the blown fuse impacted the chlorination process, which meant unchlorinated water entered the water system for about 30 minutes.

Halifax Water said it wasn’t directly notified about the planned power outage. Nova Scotia Power said it issued calls to customers in the area Monday and shared information on its social media channels about the planned outage in order to fix a piece of equipment in need of urgent repair ahead of the cold weather.

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Halifax Water said the advisory will remain in effect until further notice. It will provide more information on Thursday.

“Staff are analyzing and adjusting distribution operations, performing strategic flushing, and conducting ongoing sampling and monitoring of water quality across the system,” the statement reads.

“These results and information are reported to Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change (NSECC). The boil water advisory will be lifted by NSECC when they are satisfied with the results.”

Beaver Bank, Middle and Lower Sackville, Upper Hammonds Plains, Bedford, Fall River, Halifax, Timberlea, Spryfield and Herring Cove remain under the advisory.

Halifax Water says impacted customers should boil their water for at least one minute before:

• drinking
• preparing infant formula
• making ice cubes or juices
• washing fruits or vegetables
• cooking
• brushing teeth
• any other activity requiring human consumption

Dozens of schools and businesses are impacted by the advisory. The Halifax Regional Centre for Education has brought in water bottles for students and is also encouraging them to bring their own water bottles from home.

Without tap water readily available, many Halifax residents are voicing their grievances with the situation. Many have turned to buying bottled water, but the shelves are starting to empty out.

“We drink a fair amount of water, so now, I guess, I have to change my whole system, that means boiling water,” said Halifax resident Margaret Power.

Medical procedures affected

Nova Scotia Health said it has also impacted roughly 145 procedures at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax and other sites.

“Procedures involving patients in the urgent/high risk categories have, or will, go ahead,” the authority said in an email to CTV Atlantic.

“Healthcare staff are doing their very best to reduce any inconveniences.”

Alyson Lamb with Nova Scotia Health says the boil water advisory has a “significant impact” on their ability to deliver full services.

“It impacts three of our main facilities, and several of our primary health-care facilities,” Lamb said.

Premier Houston responds

In an interview with CTV’s Todd Battis on Wednesday, Premier Tim Houston described the situation as a “complete embarrassment” on the part of Halifax Water.

“Shame on Halifax Water, this shouldn’t be happening. The cost to our province, the cost of these cancelled surgeries, the financial cost, the emotional cost, it’s absolutely remarkable that this has happened twice in a year now,” said Houston.

“What I would say is I’m on this, I’m going to reach out to the UARB (Nova Scotia Utilities and Review Board) and ask them to study how it happened.”

Houston adds he is looking into if the province can regain some of the financial losses from Halifax Water.

“I’m also trying to determine if the province of Nova Scotia, specifically the Nova Scotia Health Authority which incurred incredible costs from these cancellations can actually invoice Halifax Water for this,” he said.

“It should not have happened, it’s an absolute embarrassment.”

Investigation ordered

Halifax Water says the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board has ordered an investigation report into the incident. It will review what happened and offer recommendations to avoid repeating it in the future.

The report will be filed by Feb. 4.

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