UPDATE Tuesday evening, June 10:
The RM of Portage la Prairie has also lifted its boil water advisory.
UPDATE for Tuesday, June 10:
Southport has also received word that its boil water advisory has been lifted today, but the RM is still in effect.
UPDATE for Sunday, June 8:
The three tests all returned negative for contamination, according to Jared Smith, Manager of the Water Treatment Division for the City of Portage la Prairie. With the tests all completed, the Boil Water Advisory for the city is concluded. The advisory continues for Southport and the Rural Minicipality of Portage la Prairie.
UPDATE as of 3:00 p.m.:
Previous notice:
Residents in parts of Portage la Prairie are under a boil water advisory following a mechanical failure at the city's water treatment plant early Saturday morning.
Jared Smith, the City of Portage la Prairie's Water Treatment Plant Manager, confirmed that a pump responsible for moving water from the plant to the city failed briefly, causing water pressure to drop below 20 PSI, the threshold that triggers a boil water advisory.
"The pressure dropped to about 13 PSI for five to ten minutes before we were able to switch to another pump and restore normal levels," said Smith. Despite the short duration, provincial regulations require the advisory to be issued as a precautionary measure.
The advisory effects residents south of the main CN and CPR rail lines and west of 5th Street Northeast, Southeast, and West of River Road. Those in the affected areas are urged to boil water for at least one minute before consuming, cooking, or brushing teeth.
"This is strictly precautionary," Smith emphasized. "There is no confirmed contamination, but we're following protocol out of an abundance of caution."
To lift the advisory, three consecutive bacterial tests must return negative results. Each test takes approximately 30 hours to process.
"Once we get negative (good) result back from three water tests the advisory will be lifted."
City officials are working closely with the Office of Drinking Water and Manitoba Health to monitor the situation. Updates will be provided as new information becomes available.
Residents are encouraged to follow official channels for the latest advisories and instructions.
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