NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
The City of Iqaluit says it is working to find an alternate source of drinking water following a recurrence of fuel odours in its municipal water distribution system.
In an update posted to social media on Sunday, the city says the water that's been tested remains safe under Canadian guidelines.
But it says it recognizes residents may be uncomfortable consuming or using tap water that has residual odours of fuel, which is why it says it's working to provide an alternative source for affected residents "as quickly as possible."
Nunavut's health department says it is working with the city to address the problem, but notes in a weekend news release that the fuel amounts do not exceed Health Canada Drinking Water values for health.
Iqaluit's approximately 8,000 residents spent nearly two months under a do-not-consume order last fall after fuel was found in the water, which the city has said came from a historic underground fuel tank.
On Friday, the city said trace amounts of fuel were detected earlier in the week, just over a month after the do-not-consume order was lifted.
"Petroleum Hydrocarbons can be detected by the human nose at very low concentrations, at levels much lower than instrumental detection or laboratory analysis," the city said in a Facebook post on Sunday afternoon.
"While all recent test results are at or below detection limits, the City understands that this is a serious concern for residents."
Mayor Kenny Bell said Friday that the water is safe to drink, but some people have complained on social media that alternatives such as bottled water should be provided like they were before.
With temperatures in the minus thirties, some residents have started drilling holes in the ice at the Sylvia Grinnell River outside of the city to get water.
During the fall, a state of emergency was declared in Iqaluit and the military brought in a reverse-osmosis purification system to treat river water.
The city's Facebook post on Sunday didn't specify what alternative the city was seeking for drinking water.
The city noted in the post that it continues to flush its system and people might continue to smell fuel.
It said that while its data indicated trace amounts of fuel entered the system last Monday and again on Wednesday, they were below the alarm limits, which it noted are well below the Canadian limits.
Nevertheless, it said the city further lowered the alarm limits for "additional early warning" for future events.
The Nunavut health department said it will provide an update on Monday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16, 2022.
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
A popular highway in Alberta's Banff National Park now has a 'no stopping zone' to help protect two bears.
B.C. resident Robert Conrad spent thousands of hours on Crown land developing an unusual bond with deer.
A Sudbury woman said her husband was bringing the recycling out to the curb Wednesday night when he had to make a 'mad dash' inside after seeing a bear.