Important Notes

• Boil water notices on First Nations land are not included on this page. A list is available from Health Canada.
• Some small water systems have been under a boil notice for years. This means they have not been able to ensure the water they provide is safe to consume without first boiling it.

Types of Advisories

Boil Water Notice (BWN):

Used to advise public that there is a significant public health threat to their water supply and that they should boil (rolling boil for 1 minute) their drinking water prior to consumption in order to eliminate any disease causing microorganisms that are suspected or confirmed to be in the water supply. Examples could include: Total Coliforms, E. coli, Turbidity Events, Flooding or Treatment Failure.

Water Quality Advisory (WQA):

Used to advise the public that there is some level of risk associated with consuming the drinking water supply, however a boil water notice is not needed at this time. The risk could be elevated for some individuals of the general population with weakened immune systems or existing medical conditions. Examples could include: Turbidity, Sodium Content.

Do Not Consume (DNC):

Used to advise public that there is a significant public health threat to consuming the water supply that cannot be removed by boiling the water. The water supply is safe to use for general household sanitation or irrigation. Examples could include: Chemical contamination.

Do Not Use (DNU):

Used to advise the public that there could be a significant public health threat to using the water supply for any purposes at all. The water supply cannot be made safe by boiling it and the water is not safe for any use including general household sanitation or irrigation. Examples could include: Chemical contamination or large environmental spill that could cause a health hazard.