Boil water advisories or drinking water bans

Ville de Brossard may issue a boil water advisory or a water ban advisory when a quality standard is not met. Read about the safety measures you need to put in place to protect your family’s health and your own.

The quality of the water distributed in the region is generally excellent. However, the samples taken may not always meet the prescribed standards. When a quality standard is not met, those responsible for the systems concerned are obliged to react quickly and take measures to protect the health of those served (e.g., by issuing a boil-water advisory) and to rectify the situation.

Boil water warning – what to do?

When a boil water notice is issued by the Ville de Brossard, you must :

• stop drinking tap water;
• boil* tap water for at least one minute to destroy any micro-organisms it may contain.
• use this boiled water for :
  • drink and prepare beverages;
  • prepare bottles and baby food;
  • food preparation;
  • wash fruits and vegetables eaten raw;
  • make ice cubes;
  • brush teeth and rinse mouth;
  • feed the animals.
  • You can use unboiled tap water for hygiene and other domestic purposes.
• wait a minimum of 48 hours for test results from the City. When the results are announced, you’ll know whether or not it’s safe to drink tap water. Keep an eye on the Ville de Brossard Twitter and Facebook pages, or subscribe to the automated alerts system.

What to do when the boil water advisory is lifted?

• Run water from all cold-water taps for a few minutes. Follow the same procedure for fountains and drinking troughs, if applicable.
• Empty, wash and disinfect ice machines.
• Bleed external taps.
• In the case of a water treatment appliance, check with the manufacturer to find out what measures to take.

*On the boil

For water to be fit for consumption, it must be brought to the boil (100°C) and kept at a rolling boil for a period of one minute to ensure that all microorganisms are destroyed. There’s no need to boil water any longer, because once this temperature is reached, all microorganisms that could affect health are eliminated. What’s more, although the boiling point of water varies with altitude, no place in Quebec is high enough to require boiling for more than a minute.

Water can be boiled in a heat-resistant container or in an electric kettle not fitted with an automatic switch. You can also use the microwave oven. It’s a good idea to add a glass or wooden chopstick to the container, to avoid splashing when overheating.

The water should then be cooled and stored in a clean, airtight container until ready for use. Water usually keeps for three days in the refrigerator or 24 hours at room temperature.

Need to know more about boil water advisories in Brossard?

Why can water be contaminated?

Various circumstances can lead to drinking water contamination or shortages, for example:

• • a major aqueduct failure;

• • a long-lasting heatwave;

• • a major equipment failure in the processing or distribution chain;

• • a prolonged power failure;

• • a chemical spill into the water body that serves as a raw water intake for drinking water production; and

• • the presence of bacteria in distributed water

Water bills – what to do?

In the event of a non-drinking advisory, you must not drink tap water, even if it has been boiled.

If you have a water advisory, use only bottled water for drinking, preparing meals or brushing your teeth. Tap water can generally be used for domestic purposes, such as washing clothes and dishes, and for personal hygiene, unless the authorities advise otherwise.

The city will organize the distribution of bottles of drinking water, or of drinking or non-drinking water, using tanker trucks, for example. Pay close attention to the instructions on how to distribute and use this water.

What to do when the water ban is lifted?

• • Run water from all cold-water taps for a few minutes. Follow the same procedure for fountains and drinking troughs, if applicable.

• • Empty, wash and disinfect ice machines.

• • Bleed external taps.

• • In the case of a water treatment appliance, check with the manufacturer to find out what measures to take.

Source and reference for more information: Urgence Québec – Drinking water contamination or shortage

Keep bottles of drinking water in your emergency kit at home. Plan on at least two liters of drinking water per person per day, and keep at least 3 days’ supply on hand.