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Test results for Terrace Park boil water advisory expected back Thursday

A boil water advisory, affecting about 20 Red Deer homes in the Terrace Park area, could be lifted soon.
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A boil water advisory, affecting about 20 Red Deer homes in the Terrace Park area, could be lifted soon.

“We sampled (the water on Tuesday), and it usually takes about a day or two, so we anticipate we’ll get the results back tomorrow,” City of Red Deer water superintendent Alex Monkman said Wednesday.

“We sampled from the hydrants in the area and then we sent it out to the provincial lab in Calgary.”

The reason for this advisory, which will remain in place until water tests confirm there is no contamination, was a water leak.

“Generally, we find leaks by the public notifying us that they have water pooling or water running in their front yard. Staff will go around finding leaks the same way, seeing water surface on the ground,” said Monkman.

Boil water advisories aren’t too rare in Red Deer, he added.

“We see maybe two or three a month, localized to, on average, about 20 houses per boil water (advisory). Sometimes, it’s three or four; sometimes, it’s one; sometimes, it’s over 20,” he said.

“It all depends on the infrastructure and if the infrastructure is operable. Sometimes, we find that a main valve is broken … so we do need the line to be completely isolated with no pressure, for the safety of the guys who are doing the maintenance.”

Monkman said the city makes every effort to inform residents about these advisories.

“I think the community does appreciate the communication we provide to let them know work has been done in the area. We do try to deliver notices on our website and hand deliver notices, as well as boil water advisory notices to advise residents how they can make sure the water they’re drinking is safe,” he said.

“We are very confident in the water that we supply in the city.”

Affected Red Deerians can expect to receive hand-delivered notices when the boil water advisory is lifted.

For more information on how to stay safe when there is a boil water advisory in effect, visit www.reddeer.ca.



sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com

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Sean McIntosh

About the Author: Sean McIntosh

Sean joined the Red Deer Advocate team in the summer of 2017. Originally from Ontario, he worked in a small town of 2,000 in Saskatchewan for seven months before coming to Central Alberta.
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