— A boil water advisory for Prince Rupert, B.C., has entered its fifth week, prompting one citizen advocate group to criticize city officials for not having a preparedness plan in place.
"Five weeks is too long without any provision of access to water for people who are vulnerable," Kertes said in an interview.
Water in the city of Prince Rupert tested for high levels of cryptosporidium and giardia, parasites can cause intestinal illnesses, he said.
This represents the final phase of the city’s water infrastructure replacement project, it said.
"Unfortunately, there are no treatment options available to the city to remove cryptosporidium at the source supply, and therefore there is currently no way to prevent or manage the issue other than to wait for the water to clear itself," reads a post on the city’s website.
Kertes said there are a lot of questions on how the decisions surrounding the infrastructure upgrade were made and what the priorities were.
"We need the city government to listen and take responsibility and we need a preparedness plan."
As of Jan. 17, there were 25 short-term drinking water advisories in place in Canada, and six "boil water" and three "do not consume" advisories in British Columbia.
"It’s anyone’s guess" how long the advisory will be in effect, he said.
"This is a wake-up call that not everyone in Canada can take (tap water) for granted," Kertes said.