Drinking water advisory lifted in Skead Road area of Greater Sudbury

The drinking water advisory issued for parts of the Skead Road area of Greater Sudbury has been lifted Sunday after a watermain break caused a drop in water pressure, public health says.

"The water has been tested to ensure its safety," Public Health Sudbury & Districts said in a news release Sunday.

"The bacteriological quality of the water supply has been tested with no adverse results being reported,” said Burgess Hawkins, a health protection division manager.

"Residents in the affected areas may notice chlorine odours and discoloured water."

Here are some tips before using the water following a drinking water advisory:

• Run cold water faucets for 5 minutes or until the water runs clear.
• Run drinking fountains for 5 minutes before using the water or until the water runs clear.
• Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle.
• Drain and refill hot water heaters.
• Large-volume users (for example, schools) may need to run cold water taps for a longer period of time on first use.
• To get rid of sediment, faucet screens should be removed, rinsed and put back in place.

The advisory was declared Thursday and affected the area north of 138 Skead Road at Good Sheppard Cemetery, to the north intersection of Skead Road and Old Skead Road, including all streets coming off Skead Road and Old Skead Road.

“A drinking water advisory means that people who take their water from the municipal system should not use it for drinking, making juice, infant formula, ice, cooking, washing uncooked fruit and vegetables or brushing teeth,” Public Health said in a news release.

“Boiling the water may not make it safe for drinking. For these purposes, water from an alternate source, such as bottled water, should be used.”

Water can be used for laundry and bathing (excluding small children who could swallow the water).

“The City of Greater Sudbury advises that the water buggy will be in the area and residents can bring and fill their own containers,” the release said.

“Once the City of Greater Sudbury has restored water pressure, residents should not use the water for human consumption until advised otherwise by Public Health Sudbury & Districts.”

In a release Thursday evening, the city said residents who are affected by the drinking water advisory in the area of Skead/Old Skead Road, Peacock, Cecil, Kreko, Gordon, Agnes, Falcon, Patricia and Sunny Streets and Sunderland Road, will have access to the water buggy.

WATER BUGGY

"The water buggy will be located at the corner of Old Skead Road and Gordon Street until the advisory has been lifted. Water is also available to city water filling stations including on Spruce Street in Garson," the city said.

"Please bring your own containers."

“It is possible that the loss of water pressure created conditions that compromised the safety of the drinking water,” Burgess Hawkins, a manager in Public Health’s health protection division, said in the release.

“Until bacteriological testing of the drinking water indicates a safe supply, the drinking water advisory will remain in effect as a precaution.”

Residents will be told when the drinking water advisory is lifted

For more information, call the health unit at 705-522-9200, ext. 398, toll-free 1-866-522-9200 or visit the website.