Walkerton tragedy led Greater Sudbury to issue boil water advisory

A boil water advisory issued earlier this month actually had little to do with water quality, staff told city councillors this week.

Walkerton tragedy led Greater Sudbury to issue boil water advisory. A boil water advisory issued earlier this month actually had little to do with water quality, staff told city councillors this week. Shawn Chretien, director of water/wastewater treatment and compliance, presented a debrief on the advisory during Tuesday’s council meeting. He said the city was informed on May 6 “that four separate drinking water samples tested positive for total coliforms, making them adverse results.” Coliform bacteria are found naturally on plants, in soils, and in the intestines of humans and warm-blooded animals. “After informing the city, the third-party lab is required under regulation to immediately inform Public Health Sudbury and Districts and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks through the Spills Action Centre,” Chretien said...