Infants, children under five, and pregnant women in Nahanni Butte should not drink the community’s tap water due to high levels of manganese caused by a failure at the water treatment plant.
Adults and older children are at a lower risk in that Dehcho community, but should still take precautions, the Chief Environmental Health Officer stated in a release.
A Nahanni Butte community member on the South Nahanni River in this undated photo. (CKLB file photo)
Boiling will not make the water safe – in fact, it may increase manganese concentrations.
This Chief Environmental Health Officer’s advisory is a precaution as long-term exposure of high levels of manganese can cause neurological effects in young children.
A new filtration system has been installed, and manganese levels are expected to decrease in the coming months, stated the GNWT in a release.
The Health Officer, along with the community government, will continue to monitor the situation in the designated authority community of fewer than 90 residents, and provide formal notice when lifting this Public Health advisory.
Recommendations include:
- Infants, children under five, and pregnant women should use bottled water for drinking, preparing baby formula, preparing food, and hot and cold beverages and ice cubes.
- Everyone can use tap water for showering, bathing, and washing, but infants and children under five should avoid swallowing the water.
- Use water processed by treatment devices certified by the Standards Council of Canada such as: reverse osmosis; Ion exchange/water softeners; and oxidizing filters
Note that the popular “Brita” type drinking water filters, with activated carbon, will not remove manganese safely.
Manganese is a mineral found naturally in rocks, soil, groundwater, and surface water. A normal diet usually provides enough manganese for good health.
However, some areas in the NWT have naturally higher levels of manganese in the water, especially during certain seasons.
