Graham Nichols, the company's public affairs manager, said Friday that 48 people have reported to the camp nurse since June 1, complaining of diarrhea and upset stomachs.

"It is a concern, but it's not that unusual, considering we have 750 people in camp," said Nichols. "If you think of a school that size, I don't think it would be that unusual."

The company is currently expanding the diamond-mining camp, located 300 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife near Lac de Gras.

BHP requested the health inspection early last week, he said, but the inspector was not able to make it to the camp until Friday.

Carolyn Mandrusiak, acting health and social services chief for Yellowknife and District, said two health officers carried out a one-day inspection of the camp.

The checklist for inspection covers the whole camp, including the kitchen, sanitary systems and water supply, said Mandrusiak.

Nichols said the company doubts what some suspect -- that the camp's water supply is to blame for the problems.

Water is piped in from a nearby lake. Nichols said that the water is discolored by a small amount of silt from rocks placed in the bottom of a lake to support the pump that pushes it into camp.

"We're drawing some very fine silt off that rock and it can't be filtered out. We hope, in due course, that will flush through the system, but it does result in a visual problem with the water."

Asked how often BHP tests the water, Nichols said, "I believe we're up to several times a week, and probably, at the moment, daily."