The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The Town of Snow Lake recently received a report on Snow Lake's drinking water supply from Manitoba Water Stewardship's Office of Drinking Water. Overall it was a very positive report. Although it was confirmed in an August, 2003 precursory report that the turbidity and THM's (trihalomethanes) in the community's water supply continue to be high, this report focused more on compliance with bacterial analysis and chlorination records. This report informed the town that compliance in regard to drawing and submitting water samples was 100%. It actually exceeded the requirements. Of the 52 treated water samples that the department required, the town submitted 77 and of the 26 obligatory raw water samples, the operator, Cam Booth, (and Bob Southern) sent in 29. Further in the report, some minor glitches were observed. "The Snow Lake system had one case of unsatisfactory results with a high total coliform count at the treatment plant," the report stated. It further documented one sample was overgrown with bacteria and one was reported with a Heterotrophic Plate Count (indicates the general sanitary quality of the water) higher than the allowable limit. However these anomalies were qualified with the statement, "No remedial measures were necessary in all occurrences, as follow-up tests at the sites did not show evidence of bacterial contamination." In summary, the report advised that the town has been fulfilling its obligations with regard to supplying safe drinking water based on the Guideline for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. It added that the department understood that the new water plant would address the problems with turbidity and high THM's. The problem with THM's and turbidity can only be addressed through filtration of the town's water supply. This is why the addition to the community's water treatment plant is required and in the process of being built.
