Halifax, Nova Scotia – A boil water advisory has been issued for over 200,000 residents of the Halifax region after disruptions at the Pockwock Lake water treatment facility. The advisory, declared on January 21, 2025, marks the second incident of its kind within six months, after previous power failures led to similar public health concerns.
The advisory was triggered by planned power outages and subsequent electrical failures at the treatment facility, which services numerous communities including Halifax, Bedford, Beaver Bank, and Spryfield. According to Brittany Smith, spokesperson for Halifax Water, the facilities were operating on generators during the outage. Unfortunately, when power was restored, it caused a blown fuse which meant water was treated without the necessary chlorine disinfection for approximately 30 minutes.
“This was unfortunate timing. We are actually only a few days away from completing the installation of a system to chlorinate water without power,” Smith stated, alluding to upgrades aimed at preventing future occurrences. Last year's similar advisory lasted for 40 hours due to unchlorinated water entering the system.
Residents living under the advisory are urged to boil all tap water for at least one minute before consuming it or using it for washing fruits, cooking, or brushing teeth. Smith reassured the public, saying, “Your water is safe to drink if you boil it. You do not have to go to the grocery store to grab bottled water.”
Various sectors are feeling the impact of the advisory. For example, several businesses across Halifax chose to close, including the local Glitter Bean Cafe, which reported significant financial losses due to missing out on customer sales. Employee Shivaughn Perry of Glitter Bean called the situation “a complete loss of a day’s sales,” highlighting how disastrous this could be for small enterprises.
Other businesses have adapted differently; some, like Starbucks, opted for complete closures, whereas Tim Horton’s continued offering a limited menu. “Across Halifax, businesses are handling the advisory in different ways,” said Perry, noting the varying degrees of response among local merchants.
The advisories have also affected healthcare services, forcing hospitals to cancel over 100 surgical procedures to protect patient safety. This has added another layer of frustration for residents, many of whom urgently need medical treatments.
Halifax Water is actively working with Nova Scotia Health and the Department of Environment and Climate Change to monitor water quality and is conducting extensive testing to determine when the advisory can be lifted. Smith indicated it would be at least 48 hours before they could safely declare the water drinkable again.
“Right now our focus is to get this advisory lifted and then after we will take a look at exactly what went wrong,” she noted. Local officials, like District 11 councillor Patty Cuttell, expressed concerned over the repeated incidents but withheld comments until they received clearer information from Halifax Water.
Frustrated residents are demanding answers as to why the electric infrastructure failed so spectacularly, exposing vulnerabilities within the municipal water system. Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman acknowledged this frustration, stating, “Halifax Water needs to speak to how they will prevent any future planned or unplanned power outages from impacting people.”
Smith has said the current failure was surprising, as it was anticipated the facility was on the verge of significant enhancements meant to reduce such risks. Hence, she described the failure as “very bad luck.”
Despite Halifax Water’s efforts to contain the fallout from the advisory, community trust appears to be wavering. Many residents are worried about the safety of their drinking water and are waiting for the utility to follow through on promised improvements. While the advisory circulates among the media, including coverage from The Canadian Press and CTV News, the residents remain hopeful for swift action and resolution.
Work to assess and prevent future outages is now being emphasized as Halifax Water considers long-term solutions, especially after past investigations recommended various electrical and systemic upgrades. Only time will tell if this will be the last we hear of boil water advisories affecting Halifax residents. Nevertheless, the current event leaves many fingers crossed for the installation of more reliable infrastructure.