On the morning of Thursday, May 16, 2019, the District of Barriere posted a Special Notice on their website advising, that the current well servicing the municipal water system is now over the Maximum Allowable Concentration (MAC) for manganese in drinking water.
Water showing levels over the MAC level for manganese should not be used as drinking water for certain at risk populations, specifically bottle-fed infants. Infant formula reconstituted (mixed) with tap water can be an important source of exposure to manganese for bottle-fed infants and Interior Health recommends that an alternate source of water be used to reconstitute (mix) infant formula.
The District of Barriere is advising those using the municipal water system who have an infant in their household to contact the District office for further instructions on how they can aquire bottled water if you needed.
This notice comes at a time when the District of Barriere is already struggling to get their main well (DP#2) back on line after the well’s reducing valve and flow meter went down Feb. 19, 2019 and caused a well shutdown that has required a long process to get it back up and running.
Since that time the system has been using their secondary wells to service the community, but have had to enforce watering restrictions due to the sediment being brought through the water pipes. Municipal hall says this is due to the water being rerouted from different wells, and moving back and forth through old pipes and thus stirring up some 50 years of accumulated sediment. However, the city says they are confident that once the main well gets back online a good flushing of the pipes will rectify the problem.
Target date according to the District for getting DW#2 back on line is “hopefully the end of the month”.
Learn More: Special Council Meeting held May 13, 2019, in Barriere regarding current water situation
Learn More: Barriere residents receive water quality aesthetic advisory
