A water quality advisory is being issued for the Wilderness Mountain area due to elevated concentrations of manganese.
This water quality advisory is in addition to the existing boil water advisory for the Wilderness Mountain water service area.
According to the Capital Regional District (CRD), manganese is a naturally occurring element that is present throughout the environment and can normally be found in many surface and groundwater sources.
Wilderness Mountain often has episodes of high manganese concentrations, which can be a seasonal occurrence.
“Until recently, elevated levels of manganese in drinking water were not considered a health risk and were only viewed as an aesthetic concern. The latest science now associates high concentrations of manganese in drinking water with health issues in infants,” stated the CRD.
High levels of manganese can make water appear brown, purple or black at concentrations less than what Health Canada considers the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) in drinking water.
Health Canada has set a MAC for manganese at 120 parts per billion (ppb) and an aesthetic objective of 20 ppb. The current levels in the Wilderness Mountain water distribution system are 167 ppb.
Those in the Wilderness Mountain area should not drink tap water. Bottled water should be used when preparing infant formula.
“Older children and adults are less sensitive to manganese than infants and Health Canada suggests that the health risk from manganese concentrations of less than 300 ppb is much lower for older children and adults,” explained the CRD.
The district is working on strategies to improve the water treatment at Wilderness Mountain.
For updates, please visit www.crd.bc.ca/alerts.
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