WESTLOCK — Water in the Town of Westlock is safe to use and consume after town residents complained about the smell and taste of the water.
The Town of Westlock issued a joint public service message with the Westlock Regional Water Service Commission late afternoon Oct. 21, informing citizens that the water is indeed “safe”.
“Our water quality remains well within Alberta Environment’s parameters for potable drinking water and is safe for consumption,” read the statement, which also pointed out the impact from drought conditions experienced in the region this summer.
That impact was also noted by the town’s director of operations Robin Benoit during the committee of the whole meeting Monday evening.
“The drought conditions compounded the changeover that occurs in our water ponds (raw water supply) and that is what brought forward the odour and the taste,” said Benoit. “We use activated carbon to scrub those odours and the taste out however, because of this aggressive changeover, we’ve had to increase the amount of activated carbon to adjust for (and eliminate) that taste and smell.”
Tests for the treated water have confirmed the town’s water is safe, read the public service message, reassuring residents and pointed out the “normal condition in the treatment process that is intensified in drought-type years.”
“Water quality is our top priority and is continuously monitored daily at the water treatment facility as well as through random testing around the region,” read the statement. “We acknowledge the odour and taste is unpleasant and again can confirm the water is safe to consume.”
Benoit said the town began working to resolve issue when it was first brought to their attention about a week ago and noted that comments on social media and calls to the town inquiring about water safety, including a handful of calls on Monday (Oct. 21), prompted the town to make the public service message.
“We had seen some traffic on social media and decided that we should put our own post out as well,” he said. “Our water treatment plant operator has been working at it from the moment we discovered it and made some adjustments in the treatment process,” explained Benoit, noting the process involves a slow and steady balancing act. “When you increase the activated carbon, you have to find a balance in the rest of the treatment system so that activated carbon, we slowly increase it because we have to increase and adjust the other side of the treatments. Activated carbon will remove chlorine so we have to boost our chlorine and we have to add the chlorine after the treatment process as well,” he added.
The odour and taste of the water was beginning to improve by Monday afternoon.
“There’s a noted difference today (Oct. 21) and people should see even more improvements in the taste and odour in the next day or so,” said Benoit.
