Sambaa K’e’s drinking water is back to normal, the NWT government says, a month and a half after a warning that a toxin associated with blue-green algae had been found.
In mid-September, residents were told to stop drinking the water. The toxin, named microcystin, “cannot be boiled out of the water” and boiling might make things worse, an advisory stated at the time.
The issue arose when the community switched to lake water after its reservoir needed maintenance, only to discover “unexpected cyanobacteria.” (Microcystin is a toxin produced by cyanobacteria, sometimes known as blue-green algae.)
On Thursday, the GNWT said the community water treatment plant “is now functioning normally” and water tanks had been cleaned and disinfected.
“Normal use of drinking water may resume,” the advisory stated.
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The territorial government has published a set of steps for people in the community to flush their water supply as a final precaution.
The GNWT said no illnesses associated with the water issue had been reported.
