The Comox Valley Regional District and Island Health have lifted the boil water advisory, effective immediately.
Following daily testing and regular monitoring of the system since the advisory was put in place on Oct. 27, the two parties are confident the water quality of the system is now safely within drinking water guidelines.
This summer, river inflows to Comox Lake were extremely low, resulting in low water levels in the lake and streams. Recent heavy rainfalls caused the inflows to increase abruptly, scouring river beds that had been dry all summer, and washing silt and debris into the lake, causing the lake to become highly turbid. Over the last week, the lake has been flushing itself with clean water and turbidity levels have gradually decreased. Water quality is now back to acceptable levels.
The water that supplies the Comox Valley water system originates in Comox Lake and is taken from the Puntledge River and delivered to approximately 41,000 residents. Areas affected by the advisory were Courtenay, Comox and the Comox Valley, Arden, Marsden/Camco, Greaves Crescent and England Road water local service areas.
Island Health guidelines recommends the following after a boil water advisory has been lifted:
Flush all water-using fixtures for one minute.
Run cold-water faucets and drinking fountains for one minute before using water.
Drain and flush all ice-making machines in your refrigerator.
Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle.
Drain and refill hot water tanks set below 45 C (normal setting is 60 C).
Change any pre-treatment filters (under sink style and refrigerator water filters, carbon block, activated carbon, sediment filters, etc.)
For up-to-date information and resources on the boil water advisory, visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/boil.