UPDATE:
The boil water advisory has now been fully lifted for the City of Portage la Prairie, Southport and the RM of Portage la Prairie.
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Jared Smith, manager of Portage la Prairie’s Water Treatment Plant, explains the cause of a weekend boil water advisory that affected much of the city.
Pump failure triggers pressure drop
A malfunctioning pump at the water treatment plant led to a sudden drop in water pressure, prompting the advisory.
"One of the pumps that pressurizes the city at the water plant malfunctioned," says Smith. "It was running but bypassing water back into the Clearwell instead of pumping it out into the system."
The pressure fell below 20 PSI for five to 10 minutes, hitting as low as 13 PSI in some areas. Provincial regulations require an advisory when pressure drops that low, and the Office of Drinking Water and Manitoba Health issued one as a precaution.
Affected areas and testing
The low-pressure zone primarily impacted the southwest part of town near the treatment plant, while the McKay reservoir maintained pressure in the north and east. However, the issue also affected separate water lines supplying Southport and the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie.
"The city had bacteria samples taken by 4 p.m. Saturday, and by Sunday morning, the results came back negative," notes Smith.
That allowed Portage la Prairie’s advisory to be lifted quickly.
Southport and the RM, however, remained under their own advisories pending separate test results.
Low risk, but caution necessary
While the risk of contamination was minimal, Smith emphasizes that advisories exist for good reason.
"The concern with low pressure is there could be backflow into the system somewhere, introducing bacteria," he says. "The likelihood is very low, but we always want to be on the safe side."
Repairs and future precautions
The faulty pump was taken offline within minutes, but repairs could take one to two days. Smith adds that spare pumps were available but couldn’t activate while the malfunctioning unit was still running.
Boil water advisories are rare in Portage la Prairie.
"No one can remember one happening before, at least not in recent memory," Smith continues. He attributes the stricter response to updated regulations. "Twenty years ago, this incident might not have triggered an advisory, but water safety rules are more comprehensive now."
Smith adds he cannot recall the last time when such an advisory was issued in Portage, noting it would have been over 20 years ago.
Transparency and next steps
The city’s quick response and clear communication helped minimize disruption, though some residents outside city limits waited longer for their advisory to lift.
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