Alberta Health Services

Is your well doing well? Water well, that is.

Is your well doing well? Water well, that is.

With many residents of Woodlands County utilizing well water, the municipality hosted a virtual workshop on October 21 on managing wells. The event streamed live and enabled attendees to ask questions in real-time. Multiple specialists were on hand, including Jeff Hammer, a Public Health Inspector for Alberta Health Services. Hammer discussed the importance of testing water and why it’s essential to do so. “We have two types of tests available at the health units. One is a bacteriological bottle which we test for total Coliform and E. coli. Total Coliform is an indicator of bacteria, and E. coli is basically fecal matter which you never want to see. The other type of test we have is a chemical water sample. It does a bunch of minerals and metals and has some more health parameters associated with it.” Hammer said that some of the minerals and metals tested for include manganese, lead, arsenic, and the pH value of the water.

Northern Alberta hamlet evacuating residents after water plant shut down

Northern Alberta hamlet evacuating residents after water plant shut down

Leadership in a northern Alberta hamlet will be evacuating about 150 people after a chemical mix-up at the community's water plant. Vern Janvier, chief of the Prairie Chipewyan First Nation, said the First Nation decided on Monday to offer residents who rely on piped water the option of leaving their homes.  There are 107 houses on the system, and Janvier said from one to six people live in each house. He anticipates there will be between 150 and 200 evacuees.