Who has to boil their water and why

Thorne residents have been advised they now have to boil their water.

Dr. Catharine Whiting, Medical Officer of Health for the North Bay and District Health Unit, issued a boil-water advisory Wednesday.

Here is the news release containing the details.

Medical Officer of Health Issues Boil-Water Advisory for Thorne

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Catharine Whiting has issued a boil-water advisory effective immediately for all residents of Thorne who draw their water from the community's water system.

The order was precipitated by the detection of a higher than acceptable turbidity level in the treated water supply.

Turbidity can be described as the presence of suspended tiny particles that scatter light and make the water appear cloudy, and it may interfere with disinfection capacity.

The elevated level began as a result of a pump shut-down during the evening of Oct. 7.

Rolling boil

According to Dr. Whiting, "Samples of the water are being tested to ensure that the disinfection of the water is not affected. The advisory is a precautionary measure."

A boil water advisory means that people who take their water from the system should not drink the water, use it to brush their teeth, or use it to wash fruits and vegetables which will be consumed without cooking.

Water should be brought to a rolling boil and allowed to boil for one full minute. People should ensure that water used for cooking also boils for one full minute. Otherwise, the water is safe for bathing and washing clothes.

Health Unit staff will continue to monitor this situation. The medical officer of health will notify the media when the boil-water advisory has been lifted.