Vancouver Coastal Health Region has lifted the advisory on Vancouver’s water. Previously, the CBC reported that Tests were expected to disprove E. coli in Vancouver and now they report that Greater Vancouver’s boil-water advisory lifted. I guess I have to find some new Britta filters now.

From: Zanocco, Viviana [CORP] On Behalf Of VCH Communications
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 12:55 PM
To: VCH Communications
Subject: Water quality advisory lifted

PLEASE POST FOR THOSE NOT ON EMAIL

To: All VCH and PHC staff and physicians

From: Dr. John Blatherwick, Chief Medical Health Officer
Dr. Patricia Daly, Medical Director, Communicable Disease Control

Re: Update on Water Quality Advisory

*********************

On the advice of Medical Health Officers of Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health, the boil water advisory that has been in effect for Vancouver, parts of the North Shore and Burnaby is now lifted for these areas. Hospitals, care facilities, schools, food premises and the public are no longer being advised to boil drinking water or to use an alternate drinking water source. There is no boil water advisory for any area receiving water from the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD).

Water may continue to appear cloudy or discoloured for some time. While increased turbidity can be associated with increased risk of gastrointestinal illness, our extensive monitoring and testing leads Medical Health Officers to believe the water in the above areas is now safe to drink. Results are consistent with turbidity events in previous years, where bacteriological testing has also been negative. The results provide reassurance that while this event produced much higher levels of turbidity than usual, disinfection has not been compromised.

Immune compromised individuals should always boil drinking water or ensure their drinking water has been treated to the same level as boiling.

Viviana Zanocco
Senior Media Relations Officer and
Regional Communications Leader, Richmond Health Services
Vancouver Coastal Health
604.612.8053 cellular
email-address-suppressed