A boil water advisory that was put in place by the city of Longueuil on Wednesday and had affected more than a quarter of a millon people on the south shore is over — unless you live in St. Bruno.
A spokesperson for the city of Longueuil says they found something in a water sample from St. Bruno — for now, they won't say exactly what. But what that means is another 48 hours of testing before they can give the all-clear.
Much of the south shore — about 260,000 residents — had been under a boil water advisory after samples turned up traces of E. Coli bacteria. Typically, the lifting of a boil water advisory requires two full days of monitoring and negative tests before the emergency can be declared over.
Residents of St. Bruno are being advised to boil your water for at least one minute before drinking it or cooking with it, in order to destroy any potential bacteria.
Hot water can be used straight from the tap for washing dishes (dry thoroughly), doing laundry, showering and bathing.
If you're washing young children and infants, it's best to use a facecloth to prevent them from swallowing the water. You're also being advised to make sure children's mouths don't come in contact with the water.
The advisory has been issued as a precaution. If you do consume the water, your risk of becoming ill is relatively low — but if you develop a fever, vomiting or diarrhea, you should seek medical attention as soon as you can.
For more information, visit the city of St. Bruno's web site here.