Boil Water Advisory List Posted Online

Nova Scotians now have improved access to information about boil water advisories from public drinking supplies in their area.

Beginning today, July 11, weekly boil water advisories will be posted on the Department of Environment and Labour's website.

"Information regarding the number of public drinking water supplies that are on a boil order advisory are requested on a regular basis, said Brooke Taylor, acting Minister of Environment and Labour. "We want Nova Scotians to be able to access this information quickly and efficiently to help them make informed decisions to protect their health and the health of their families."

The department has been tracking boil water advisories for public drinking water supplies since October 2000, when new regulations for public drinking water supplies came into effect.

A public drinking water supply is one that provides the public with potable piped water that has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves 25 or more persons per day for at least 60 days of the year. There are about 1,700 public drinking water supplies in Nova Scotia.

Currently, there are no boil water advisories in effect for municipal water supplies and 50 boil water advisories in effect for registered water supplies in Nova Scotia. Registered water supplies serve the public but are not connected to a municipal water supply and can include restaurants, motels, service stations, subdivisions, schools and nursing homes.

Advisories are issued when sampling and testing detects higher than acceptable amounts of coliform bacteria or deficiencies with chlorination or other forms of disinfection.

For information about boil order advisories and what to do if one happens in your community, see the website at www.gov.ns.ca/enla/water/boiladvisory.asp .