Boil water advisory in Collingwood fully lifted

The boil water advisory, which was in place over the weekend, has been lifted for the remaining affected areas in Collingwood.

The boil water advisory in Collingwood was lifted on Monday afternoon, according to Collingwood Mayor Yvonne Hamlin.

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) says it has completed all required water testing and confirmed the water is safe for drinking and normal use. It added the water plant is fully operational.

A major watermain break lingered throughout the weekend that started Friday in Collingwood.

Residents and businesses in the affected area were urged to avoid drinking water directly from the tap, which was a cautionary direction from the SMDHU.

Officials said the watermain break happened at Pretty River Parkway and Hume Street.

In an interview with CTV News, Hamlin said the fear of contamination from ground water after the watermain break led to the SMDHU’s advisory.

“When you have a watermain break on a main line like we did, water pressure goes down in the pipe and it makes it susceptible to ground water seeping in,” she explained.

The Town has not yet shared the cause of the watermain break.

“We will discuss this once we have this crisis behind us – figure out what happened,” Hamlin said.

A boil water advisory is when residents are told to boil water before using or to use bottled water as an alternative, but to avoid drinking water directly from the tap.

What to do before using your water from the SMDHU

• Run all cold faucets for at least five minutes. If the water does not run clear after five minutes, call the Town of Collingwood at 705-445-1030.
• Run drinking water fountains for a minimum of five minutes.
• Run all water softeners through a regeneration cycle.
• Replace pre-filters and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for reverse osmosis units.
• Replace water filters, as they are disposable and may be contaminated. This applies especially to carbon filters and others that are near the end of their life.
• Drain and refill hot water heaters set below 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). Normal setting is 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Drain and flush all ice-making machines and soda fountain machines.
• Flush, clean, and sanitize appliances with water line connections like fridges with water and ice dispensers, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Dispose of any ice made since Fri., Dec. 12.
• Large-volume users, like restaurants, may need to run cold water taps for a longer period of time on first use to ensure the water is not cloudy.

With files from Julianna Balsamo and Mike Lang