Find boil water notices and water quality advisories in your region.
Current boil water notices
Boil water notice
A boil water notice is issued when a health risk is found in the drinking water source. We recommend boiling water for a minimum of one minute when used for:
- Drinking
- Cooking
- Brushing teeth
- Washing dishes
- Washing fruits and vegetables to be eaten raw
Questions and answers: How to use tap water safely during a boil water notice
Resources for businesses and facilities
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Questions and answers for food establishments.734.28 KBUpdated 18/10/2019
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Questions and answers for daycares.307.52 KBUpdated 31/10/2019
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Questions and answers for hospitals and long term care facilities.207.36 KBUpdated 31/10/2019
Other treatment options
- If you cannot boil water, you can disinfect it using unscented household bleach. Bleach will kill some but not all of the different types of germs that could be in the water.
- To treat your water, add two drops (0.1 mL) of unscented household bleach (about 5.25 per cent chlorine) to one litre of warm water. Cover it and let it stand for at least 30 minutes before drinking.
- If the water is cloudy or colder than 10˚C (50˚F), add four drops (0.2 mL) of unscented household bleach (about 5.25 per cent chlorine) to one litre of water. Cover it and let it stand for one to two hours before drinking.
- For more information on disinfecting drinking water go to HealthLink BC's Disinfecting drinking water.