Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Jan 23/06) - A boil water advisory in Rankin has ended, but not without plenty of chlorine being pumped into the hamlet water supply and a dash of controversy.

Elder Jack Kabvitok places a block of ice on a pallet next to the hamlet office in Rankin Inlet. The hamlet provided ice to local residents while a boil-water advisory was in effect this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

The hamlet was placed under a boil-water advisory for nine days after samples taken from the municipal water supply were found to contain bacterial contamination.

The bacteria is believed to have developed in the large water-storage tank at Williamson Lake.

After water was tested clean, the advisory was lifted this past Friday.

But controversy erupted after the hamlet hired elders to collect ice blocks for people to melt into drinking water.

The idea came from Coun. Craig Collier.

Council approved the idea and elders Jack Kabvitok and Simon Kowmuk, along with Kowmuk's son, Sam, were hired for the job.

The idea concerned environmental health officer Bob Hanley, who e-mailed the hamlet to point out the possible contamination of ice from a surface source at Second Landing Lake, as well as during its cutting, transportation and storage.

"This provision constitutes the creation of a condition likely to become injurious to the public health of those who use the ice for consumption," stated the e-mail.

"Therefore, you are requested to have a public announcement issued by the hamlet to the community, advising all users to boil water from the ice for at least one minute for drinking, preparing food, beverages, ice cubes, washing fruit and vegetables or brushing teeth."

When Hanley followed up his e-mail with a phone call to Mayor Lorne Kusugak, he was met with a somewhat frosty reception.

"I told him (Hanley) if he's worried about it, he's more than welcome to warn the public against using the ice," said Kusugak.

"I wasn't about to do that because Inuit have been using ice water since first moving to the North. For me to try and tell local residents how to use ice water would be an insult to their intelligence."

Kusugak said as far as the hamlet is concerned, ice has been made available and what people choose to do with it is totally up to them.

"This is making life easier for people who want ice and can now get it without having to go out to the lake themselves.

"I don't think Inuit need to be told how to use ice water."