KINNGAIT/CAPE DORSET - Some are melting snow or blocks of ice. Others are buying bottled water. But everyone in Cape Dorset is conserving water as the community has been without a water supply for about five days, said three residents.

Cape Dorset has been without water for five days, according to residents, and the community is resorting to bottled water or melting snow and ice for water. - photo courtesy of Peter Pitseolak School

The situation is more challenging for some with families, such as Sonia Haq, who has a one-year-old child.

"We don't have any water. We are collecting snow and melting it (to) try to cook and get other things done," she said. "We just survive. How long we can survive like this?"

Frances Webber said she's heard conflicting explanations of why Cape Dorset is without water, from a frozen water pipeline to a cracked one, adding it could quite possibly be a combination of both. Nonetheless, it may be Friday at the earliest Cape Dorset gets its water supply running again, said Webber.

In the meantime, she said blocks of ice are available.

"We seem to be coping all right. We still have a little reserve," she said. "I had quite a few gallons reserved just for wash water. We were able to get drinking water, bottled water from the Co-op on Saturday (April 16) for a dollar a case, which was quite a good bargain."

She added if she and her husband don't get water by Friday, they will consider showering at a friend's place, who is away for spring break.

Water has been scarce before because of various delivery problems but they never ran out, said Webber.

Cecil Meade said he and his wife have been coping "OK" but is unaware of when the situation may be resolved. He added he heard one of the heaters on the water pipeline broke and the line froze up.

"Right at present, we are not sure what the situation is with the lines. They must be frozen up," he said.

"We'll get some water delivered but it will come from another water source, from the lake. We've been coping OK. The water that will probably be delivered to us, my understanding is we'll get 400 litres to use, but I would assume that's probably not going to be treated water but I'm not sure of that."

He added they are conserving water as much as possible. They had water left in the tank and they bought bottled water.

No one from the hamlet was available to comment on Monday.

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