Halifax Water is once again under scrutiny for its public communications efforts, following a blown fuse that led to 30 minutes of water lacking chlorine disinfection. The resulting boil advisory over more than two days went unnoticed by many of the 200,000 people it affected, Halifax’s mayor said, suggesting that the event demanded use of the local emergency alert system.
Public frustration around the latest boil water advisory issued online the morning after the January 20th fuse issue comes on the heels of another electrical issue at the JD Kline (Pockwock) Lake Water Treatment Facility in July that allowed unchlorinated water to enter the system, prompting an advisory that lasted 40 hours.
While Nova Scotia Power said it issued calls to customers in the area and shared information on its social media channels about the planned outage in order to fix a piece of equipment, the blown fuse at the water plant created further complications for the maintenance effort.
“This is a significant event and we apologize and remain committed to improving service to our customers,” Halifax Water announced in a statement during the boil water notice.
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Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore is calling for more testing to ensure backup equipment is in optimal condition at the water plant. On January 22, Fillmore met with Halifax Water’s General Manager, Kenda MacKenzie, who took on the position from an interim role just days ago. Recounting the meeting on social media, the mayor wrote that, “I have asked that a new, transparent, and predictable protocol be established for the use of the emergency alert system to let HRM residents know ASAP in the event of an incident.”
Both Halifax (hfxALERT) and the province have emergency alert systems in place.
Also commenting on the incident was Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, who called the situation a “complete embarrassment”, and referred to significant inconvenience and cost involving cancelled surgeries. Houston went so far as to suggest that Halifax Water should cover the tab.
Some businesses also needed to close during the boil water notice. Many owners suggested that more details about what occurred at the plant, as well as a restoration timeline, would have been helpful to know.
On January 23, Halifax Water lifted the boil water advisory, adding that it had been “continuously monitoring the system” and has successfully completed the sampling required by Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change (NSECC) and the Medical Officer of Health.
Halifax Water told local media that it will soon install a system that doesn’t require power for chlorination.
The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board has ordered an investigation report into the incident.
Halifax Water surprised the public in late 2024 by revealing that it had stopped fluoridation at two facilities for long periods of time without public notice.
