CANMORE – The boil water order was partially lifted in parts of Canmore, Dead Man’s Flats, Harvie Heights and the Canmore Nordic Centre.
In a media release, the Town stated the boil water advisory was lifted for Dead Man’s Flats, Harvie Heights, the Canmore Nordic Centre, Three Sisters Resort, Peaks of Grassi, portions of Rundleview and portions of the Homesteads.
The remainder of the town is required to boil their water before consuming.
EPCOR and Alberta Health Services are advising residents to boil water until further notice and water trucks are available at the Canmore Recreation Centre, Elizabeth Rummel School, WorldMark and Elevation Place.
“Your health and safety are our top priority. At this time, unusually high levels of turbidity have appeared in the treated water supply in areas of Canmore,” the Town of Canmore stated on their website. “As such, EPCOR and Alberta Health Services are advising ALL residents and businesses within the Town of Canmore to boil their tap water before consuming it.
“Our current priority is to ensure that residents have access to potable water and to get the system back up and running as soon as possible. EPCOR is systematically flushing the lines, monitoring, and testing the water supply to ensure the water is safe.”
The Town and EPCOR asks anyone coming to the potable water stations bring a container for water, take only what they need and be respectful of others and site supervisors.
EPCOR is continuing to flush water lines to clean the system, with Cougar Creek, Benchlands and Bow Valley Trail will possibly experience little to no water pressure for several hours, the Town said in a release. They added the water systems are interconnected and the order and timing of the system being flushed isn’t an option.
When a system if flushed, AHS has a 24-hour testing turnaround before they can ensure the water is clean, the Town release stated.
EPCOR stated in a media release the tap water remains safe for flushing the toilet, washing clothes and bathing, but residents should avoid brushing their teeth with the water unless the water’s boiled.
They added people should bring their water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before consuming for drinking, brushing teeth, cleaning raw foods, preparing infant formula or juices, making ice and handwashing dishes.
The boil water advisory was announced after high levels of turbidity were detected in Canmore’s water supply.
High turbidity – when water becomes cloudy or hazy from a large number of individual particles – can be caused from a range of reasons from mud, wood ashes and melting glaciers, but the cause is dependant on water test results.
"The boil water order is precautionary as we await water quality testing to ensure the safety of the water supply," a media release from EPCOR stated. "Consumption of microbiologically-contaminated water may result in illness and stomach flu-like symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps and headaches.”
The company states once tests show that the water quality has been returned to normal, the advisory will be lifted. Check this website for updated information. No additional information is available at this time.
EPCOR also announced there will be reduced water pressure until the boil water order is lifted as they flush and test the system until regular water service is restored.
On Thursday, The Town of Canmore reported water quality issues for several areas of the community.
Among the initial impacted areas were Cougar Creek, Grizzly Crescent, Old Canmore Road, Kananaskis Way and Grotto.
The Town post said the municipality and EPCOR are working to resolve the concerns. They had advised any area that has been affected to run their taps until the water is clear and to boil it before drinking.
The Town initially reported water quality issues at Elevation Place in the afternoon, which led to the centre being temporarily closed and later reopened.
A Facebook post from the Town said the water was still safe for hand washing, but access to the water fountains was closed and were encouraging people to bring their own water for drinking.
For more information, people can visit epcor.com or https://bit.ly/Canmorewateradvisory.
Potable Water Locations
- Canmore Recreation Centre
- 1900 8 Ave.
- Open 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily
- Elizabeth Rummel School
- 1033 Cougar Creek Dr.
- Open 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily
- WorldMark
- 91 Three Sisters Dr.
- Open 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily
- Elevation Place
- 700 Railway Ave #100, Canmore, AB T1W 1P4
- Open 24/7
- Canmore Civic Centre
- Only for vulnerable populations
- Open daily 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. until at least Monday
