Maintenance at the McPhillips Pumping Station Friday, June 29, 2012, caused temporary discoloured water in parts of Winnipeg

Released: June 29, 2012 at 1:14 p.m.
A planned shutdown for scheduled maintenance from 12:10 a.m. - 3:15 a.m. today at the City of Winnipeg's McPhillips Water Pumping Station has temporarily caused discoloured water for some residents in northwest Winnipeg.

WINNIPEG - A planned shutdown for scheduled maintenance from 12:10 a.m. - 3:15 a.m. today at the City of Winnipeg's McPhillips Water Pumping Station has temporarily caused discoloured water for some residents in northwest Winnipeg.

The scheduled maintenance is essential to maintaining high quality drinking water and is typically conducted overnight, which is the optimum time for this work - it is the lowest time for water use, therefore minimizing the effect on the distribution system.

Any time there is an increase or change in the water flow in the distribution system, the natural buildup of material in the water mains is disturbed and can temporarily cause discoloured tap water.

Discoloured water should not be used for any purposes that require clean water, such as preparing food and beverages, medical and dental procedures, or laundry. Drinking discoloured water should not make you sick, however, it may not smell, taste, or look pleasant.

To check if water is discoloured:

  • Turn on a cold water tap and let the water run for a few minutes.
  • Catch some water in a light-coloured cup or container to see if it is clear. If it is clear, it can be used.
  • If it is discoloured, run the water for 10 minutes and then wait 30 minutes.
  • If discoloured water persists for more than two to three hours, residents should call 311.

McPhillips Water Pumping Station and Reservoir, at McPhillips and Logan Avenue, was built in 1968 and is capable of supplying 436 million litres (96 million gallons) of water per day to residents in northwest Winnipeg. McPhillips Pumping Station is one of three pumping stations that feed the entire water distribution network.

The City apologizes for causing residents and businesses any concern and inconvenience and assures that the discoloured water is temporary. Winnipeg's water is treated at our state-of-the-art drinking water treatment plant and the quality is higher than Provincial regulatory and licensing requirements and the drinking water guidelines set out by Health Canada.

For more information on Winnipeg's water, including a virtual tour of the treatment steps at our drinking water treatment plant, visit winnipeg.ca/waterandwaste/water/treatment/plant.stm.

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