Water safety tips following dump fire

TUESDAY, APRIL 3: Following the recent March 30 fire at the Marsh Folly Composting Facility the Ministry of Health would like to offer the following water safety tips for residents who may have health concerns regarding the quality of their water supply:

• Immediately following the fire, residents were advised to block gutters until the arrival of the next hard rain in order to lessen the impact of particles entering the tank. This time has now passed.

• Residents have been advised to drink bottled water in the short term as the fine horticultural particulates - although not toxic to the water supply - may dirty the tank.

• Homeowners who have not cleaned their tanks in the past 6 years should take the opportunity to do so now (if roof is clean).

• Homeowners whose roofs are dirty and have not been painted in the past two years should take the opportunity to do so now.  

• Testing results from the last major fire indicated that contaminant levels still fell within drinking water quality guidelines. However, current testing arrangements are presently underway – the results of which will be released to the public as soon as testing is completed.

• In the absence of regular treatment or disinfection, residents are reminded to always boil tank water before drinking.