Red Deer residents should boil water before drinking, city says

People living in certain neighbourhoods in Red Deer are being told to boil their water before drinking it.

The city issued a boil water advisory Sunday afternoonbut didn't give a reason.

"The advisory will remain in place until water tests confirm that there is no contamination," the statement says on the city's website.

A handful of homes along 78th Street Crescent are affected, along with several homes on 44th Avenue and 45th Avenue in the area of 50th Street.

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The city staff are going door-to-door to deliver notices in person to households under the advisory, the city said.

If the area is too large to go door-to-door, electronic sign boards will be placed in affected areas to alert residents, the city added.

Boil water advisories are issued when harmful microbes, like E.coli bacteria or Giardia parasites, may be present in potable water, the city's website says.

Consuming water contaminated with these microbes can make people and pets sick, the site explains. Boiling the water kills the microbes and makes the water safe to consume.

A municipality may put a boil water advisory in place after a water leak or main break, when water a main depressurizes and when contaminants enter the water distribution system from a water treatment plant or improper cross connection.