Iqaluit offers river water amid fuel smell worry

The City of Iqaluit has set up a water-filling station after traces of fuel were found in the Nunavut capital’s drinking water last week for the second time in recent months.

Residents reported smelling fuel in their tap water and the city confirmed trace amounts had entered the distribution network. The city said a filling station with river water was to open Monday and continue until Friday, but the water would need to be boiled before drinking.

It said Iqaluit’s drinking water continued to test within Canada’s drinking water standards and a donot-consume order was not issued.

Iqaluit’s 8,000 residents could not drink tap water for 60 days late last year after it was found to be contaminated with fuel. Last fall, the city dug up an old underground fuel tank, thought to be the source of contamination, next to the water treatment plant.

The city said it was continuing to flush out any remaining hydrocarbons.

The city also said it would not be distributing bottled water.