Citizens steam as Prince Rupert boil-water advisory enters fifth week

PRINCE RUPERT — A boil-water advisory for Prince Rupert has entered its fifth week, prompting one citizen advocate group to criticize city officials for not having a preparedness plan in place.

Tom Kertes of Community for Clean Water said in a letter to the mayor and city councillors on Saturday that the group would like to propose a Clean Water Preparedness Plan, which would include a series of “concrete and achievable steps” aimed at ending the advisory.

“Five weeks is too long without any provision of access to water for people who are vulnerable,” Kertes said. “Five weeks is a very long time for a community, especially since the city wasn’t prepared.”

The city did not immediately return a request for comment, but Mayor Lee Brain explained in a Facebook post why the advisory is in effect.

Water in the city of Prince Rupert tested for high levels of cryptosporidium and giardia, parasites that can cause intestinal illnesses, he said.

Last August, the city applied for funding to implement a two-phase water-treatment system and replace the submarine line that carries potable water beneath the harbour from Woodworth and Shawatlans lakes, said information posted on the city’s website. This represents the final phase of the city’s water infrastructure replacement project, it said.

The spike in levels of cryptosporidium and giardia are related to a dry summer followed by recent storm surge events, it said.

The city and Northern Health will be consistently monitoring the supply.