A Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) water boil advisory was lifted last Friday afternoon after lab results revealed drinking water in the distribution system from the Sunshine Coast Regional District's (SCRD) Langdale reservoir was clear of E. coli.
Although a water sample from the reservoir Nov. 9 tested positive for E. coli in the tank where a family of raccoons had broken in, the reservoir was shut off before the contamination could reach the distribution system, according to VCH drinking water officer Tim Adams. VCH's water tests of the lines taken Nov. 9 and 10 were negative for E. coli. The test from the tank showed there were four fecal coliform per 100 millilitres, Adams said. But the sample was taken from the reservoir while it was being drained, so contaminants may have been mixed in at that point, he said.
VCH will follow up by continuing to sample the water and making sure monitoring of the reservoir is increased, Adams said.
SCRD infrastructure services manager Steve Lee said replacing the wood stave reservoir has been in the plans for quite some time. The SCRD is now discussing improving access to the reservoir site with a private property owner. Once the land issue is worked out, an engineer would design a new steel reservoir, which may take a few months, then construction would begin, Lee said.
