(Iqaluit) Soldiers arrived in Iqaluit to help the municipality resolve the drinking water crisis that has been raging there for several days.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Friday that Nunavut Premier Joe Savikataag had accepted federal assistance for the deployment of troops to Iqaluit to coordinate operations and provide drinking water.
On Saturday evening, the military said more than 20 soldiers had arrived in the capital of Nunavut. Their mission will be to install reverse osmosis water purification systems.
The city’s 8,000 residents have not had access to drinking water for nearly two weeks after traces of fuel were found in samples.
Residents must collect water from the Sylvia Grinnell River or collect free bottled water from one of the distribution points. Municipal authorities are stepping up efforts to determine the source of the contamination.
In a statement released on Sunday, they said the investigation was pointing to the possible presence of hydrocarbons in the soil or water table outside the treatment plant. The product would have entered the interior of a tank.
“The underground cistern which contained a high concentration of contaminants was isolated. The water has been pumped out. Cleaning work was carried out there, reads the press release. The operation was successful. The water continues to be treated and sent to the water system. ”
However, the system will need to be drained again. The order not to consume running water remains in effect.
The municipality also indicated that an environmental assessment of the premises was underway. The next steps will depend on the results of the tests.
“We will listen to the advice of our experts to correct the problem,” said the authorities.