Iqaluit water treatment plant to return to service after more than a year

The water treatment plant in Iqaluit, Nunavut, pictured on Oct. 27, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dustin Patar

IQALUIT, Nunavut — The City of Iqaluit says its water treatment plant is to return to service Tuesday morning, more than a year after it was shut down due to contamination.

The plant was initially shut down in October 2021 after fuel was detected in the city's water supply.

A do-not-consume order was lifted in December of that year, but less than a week later it was discovered the water was contaminated by a tar-like substance.

The city has since been using a water treatment bypass system while repairs were completed on the plant.

The city says when the plant becomes operational at 8 a.m., residents will be under a precautionary boil water order that could last as long as a week.

It says as the filtration system takes over, residents will notice gradual improvement in the taste and clarity of the water coming from their taps.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 24, 2023.