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In response to concerns the Township received regarding the communication for the recent Boil Water Advisory issued for the villages of Ingleside and Osnabruck Centre, Mayor Bryan McGillis and CAO Debi LucasSwitzer have issued the following letter to residents and business owners. 

The original signed letter can be viewed here. The content of the letter has been copied below.

June 28, 2021

To the Resident and Business Customers of the Ingleside Water Plant:

In response to the various emails, phone calls and posts on the assorted social media sites related to the Boil Water Advisory we are writing to relay the following information.

  • Ingleside water tower is undergoing capital upgrades and as a result is not operational, it should be returned to service by July 8, 2021. As a result, there is no retained water in the water distribution system and low pressure alarms were triggered when a valve failed.
  • Water quality has stayed within required safety parameters, however due to low pressure in system Township and EOHU are legally required to issue boil water advisory.
  • Provided water test results delivered this morning to the provincially regulated laboratory come back with satisfactory results tomorrow the boil water advisory may be lifted. The EOHU has the say in lifting a boil water advisory.
  • The lab must conduct the tests over a 24 hour period, it is expected results will be provided to the Township and the EOHU by mid to late morning tomorrow, Tuesday, June 29, 2021.
  • Splash pad use is ok and poses no adverse health risk.
  • Media and social media releases will be issued when test results are available. In addition those who indicated they will receive Township notices via the website will receive notice updates.

Had the information related to the quality of the water been different emergency notifications would have been made and a different advisory and notification process would have been used. Could we have explained it better, yes. The intent and purpose was precautionary.

Businesses were notified via telephone and in some cases emails were sent. The seniors residences were notified via dropped off notices, as were restaurants, businesses such as Foodland and Lactalis.

Additional information related to water advisories can be found at the following:

Eastern Ontario Health Unit - https://eohu.ca/en/my-environment/drinking-water-advisories .

Federal Government has additional guidance information available https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/guidance-issuing-rescinding-boil-water-advisories-canadian-drinking-water-supplies.html

We are researching solutions to improve our community notification processes. The Township does the best it can in any given circumstances to notify people when an adverse situation arises, however you are right we can always improve. We will endeavour to do better.

Sincerely,

 

Bryan McGillis, Mayor

Debi LucasSwitzer, CAO