Creighton’s water supply is still safe, despite a recent uptick in people reporting brown water.
Recent work at the town’s water treatment plant is being blamed for a number of complaints received recently by the town, specifically mentioning brown and discoloured water.
“The guys were doing pipe replacement in the plant and something got stirred up,” said Mayor Bruce Fidler.
“That’s normal. It’s going to happen. If there was anything to worry about, everybody would have been notified. It’s perfectly safe.”
Water samples from Creighton have not failed any quality or contamination tests and the municipal supply is still safe to
drink. No boil water advisory is likely to be called as a result of the repairs.
At least one town councillor mentioned having brown water come from their tap in the days before council’s April 25 meeting. Another council member suggested community members with brown water can run cold water for a short time before use, adding that the action should clear up any settling in water lines.
Repairs at the plant were scheduled for completion late last week.
A replacement project started last summer on the city’s water and sewer system is scheduled to be finished by June.
Town cleanup
The town is hoping students coming home for the summer can help clean up the community. Council approved an initative to hold a garbage and litter cleanup later this spring. Fidler said he hoped returning students looking for summer employment could help carry out the cleaning.
“They can earn a few bucks and do something good for the community,” said Fidler.
“What we want to do is concentrate on the downtown core area, just to get the garbage and trash and all that picked up and cleaned up through the community.”
Paula Muench, Creighton’s chief administrative officer, said the fast spring thaw has revealed a winter’s worth of litter and refuse.
“The snow just kind of went away in two days. It has to be cleaned up,” she said.
Mill rates
Council received this year’s property tax mill rates from the Ministry of Government Relations.
The rates remain the same as last year’s provincially mandated figures.
Land used as agricultural property will be taxed at 1.43 mills, while residential property and commercial and industrial land will be taxed at 4.12 mills and 6.27 mills respectively. Land used for resource development, including mines, will be taxed at 9.68 mills.
