Boil water advisory

There are no active boil water advisories in the City of Winnipeg. Your tap water is safe to use.

A boil water advisory means all tap water (including water from in-home filtration systems) must be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute before you can use it for:

  • Drinking
  • Making ice
  • Preparing beverages, including infant formula
  • Preparing food
  • Brushing teeth
  • Giving to pets to drink

 

During a boil water advisory, you should bring all tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before you use it. This includes water from in-home filtration systems, as these systems cannot remove bacteria.

You can use boiled tap water or bottled water for:

  • Drinking and making ice
  • Preparing drinks, including infant formula
  • Preparing food
  • Brushing teeth
  • Providing water to pets

Reach out to your neighbours, family, and friends who live in the affected area. Please make sure they have heard and understood to boil tap water.

You can use un-boiled tap water for hand washing. Please rub all parts of your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If you can avoid swallowing water, you can shower as usual. You should give young children sponge baths, as they are more likely to swallow water.

You can also use un-boiled tap water for doing laundry and washing dishes by hand, if using hot water and soap. The dishes must be air-dried, and not wiped. Dishwashers that use hot water and have a drying cycle will disinfect the dishes.

The Province of Manitoba’s boil water advisory fact sheets have more information to guide your water use during a boil water advisory:

Boil Water Advisory Fact Sheet #1 – Boil Water Advisory For Manitoba Water System Users

Boil Water Advisory Fact Sheet #4 – Boil Water Advisory For All Domestic Water Uses

For health-related questions, you can contact your health care provider or phone Health Links at 204-788-8200.

 

We will contact you when the advisory is over, and you can stop boiling your tap water or using bottled water.

Before using your tap water, you should:

  • Clean your faucet aerators to remove any particles from the aerator screen. Please use the directions below:
    • Plug your sink so you don’t lose small parts from the aerator
    • Unscrew the aerator – you may need pliers or a wrench
    • Give the aerator a light scrub using dish soap and a toothbrush or a dedicated cleaning brush. You can also use a cleaning solution made of three parts water to one-part vinegar
    • Rinse the aerator and set aside
  • Remove and discard filters that you may have on water lines in fridges, filtration systems, or other appliances
  • Turn on one hot water tap and let it run until the water is cold. This will drain the hot water heater and fill it with safe water
  • Run all your cold water taps and faucets for five minutes with the aerators off and filters removed to flush your pipes
  • Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle
  • Reconnect your faucet aerators to the faucet
  • Install new water filters in appliances, filter systems, or treatment devices. Follow the maintenance instructions in the owner’s manual for these devices.

All commercial, public, and permitted facilities must follow the recommendations in the Province of Manitoba’s boil water advisory fact sheet.

This includes (but is not limited to):

  • Restaurants
  • Health care facilities
  • Day cares
  • Personal care homes
  • Other private facilities that provide food or water services
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