Manitoba community issues boil water advisory

The town of Virden has been placed under a boil water advisory following a power outage.

A boil water advisory has been issued in Virden, Man., following a power outage on Thursday.

According to a public notice, the outage caused a loss of water pressure for the Virden water distribution system, which has compromised the safety of the water supply.

Until further notice, residents should bring all water used for consumption to a rolling boil for at least a minute. This includes water used for ice, drinking, food and beverage preparation and brushing teeth. If boiling is impractical, a safe supply of water, such as bottled water, should be used instead.

Manitoba officials noted it’s not necessary to boil tap water used for other household activities, including laundry and washing dishes.

Adults and older children are urged to avoid swallowing water when bathing; however, young children should be sponge bathed.

Residents are asked to be cautious when boiling water to avoid burns. That includes keeping young children away from boiling water.

The boil water advisory will be in place until the water no longer presents any risks.

Virden water quality advisory

The Virden public water system is also under a water quality advisory due to arsenic levels.

The public notice emphasized that boiling water does not reduce the amount of arsenic in the water supply and may slightly increase the concentration of it in the water.

The notice added that if this is your primary source for drinking water, you may want to reduce the amount of water you drink from this source. Alternative options, such as bottled water, should be considered.