Boil water advisory issued for 4 South Slave communities in the N.W.T.

The N.W.T. Health Department issued a boil water advisory for people living in some communities in the South Slave region.

People in Hay River, the K'atl'odeeche First Nation Reserve, Enterprise, and Kakisa are asked to boil their water for at least one minute before drinking it, according to a media release sent Thursday afternoon.

The advisory is just a precaution at this point and was issued because the water appears muddier than usual, the release said. No one has reported getting sick from the water.

The advisory reads, in part:

All water used for drinking, preparing food, hot and cold beverages and ice cubes,washing fruits and vegetables, and dental hygiene must be boiled.This is of particular importance in the case of the preparation of infant formulas. Do not drink water from public drinking fountains. It is not necessary to boil water used for other household purposes. You may shower, bathe or wash using tap water, but avoid swallowing the water.

Drinking water filters that are used with Brita water pitchers are not a safe way to treat water during an advisory because they use carbon filters and do not disinfect the water, the release said.

Officials with the Health Department and the Town of Hay River will monitor the water and will let residents know when the advisory is lifted.