Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services
Tulita (Jun 04/01) - It's spring in Tulita and that means a boil-water order.
"It has happened every spring as far as I can remember," said Louise Reindeer, hamlet senior administrative officer Louise Reindeer.
"I just don't see anything outstanding about it.... It is probably because of the things happening in the south and people are keeping an ear open for water issues."
The hamlet draws its water from the Great Bear River. Bill Wrathall, chief environmental officer, said that spring break-up "causes a lot of sediment."
"When that happens the chlorine efficiency is reduced," he said.
Wrathall said the boil-water order is a precaution and was not imposed because bacteria was found, but sediment also hinders the ability to test for bacteria.
"What the community really needs is an advanced water system," Wrathall said. "That is something that is being looked into."
At present, water is chlorinated and delivered to each household by truck.
The community had no water at all for one day when the ice jammed the intake system.
