Military efforts have begun to secure water pressure

Nunavummiut is managed to a flowing river that freezes over in October, frozen pipes, and frigid arctic weather. However, those specific issues were a first for a water treatment system previously used by the Canadian Armed Forces in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake and the Philippines.

Iqaluit has been in an emergency state since Oct. 12, when fuel was discovered in the water at the city’s treatment plant. Since then, residents have been unable to drink tap water. According to the city, fuel from an old underwater spill near the treatment facility may have contaminated the water supply.

On Oct. 23, twenty-four military members came to Iqaluit at the request of the Nunavut administration, but the military’s water purification system did not start operating until Tuesday. According to Sgt. Matthew Dimma, it’s the first time it’s been utilized that far north.

Everything just is severely stimulated by the cold,” he said during a tour of the site on Wednesday. “From hoses freezing, to pumps freezing, to valves freezing.” To remove the contaminants, the system employs reverse osmosis.

It takes water from the Sylvia Grinnell River near Iqaluit and pumps it into treatment equipment, compressed and put through a series of smaller filters. The water is then pumped into the city’s water trucks after being stored in heated tents in 11,000-litre bladders like huge waterbeds.

Until recently, residents had to collect river water, which had to be boiled, or pick up bottled water flown in by the Nunavut government and other organizations.

According to Dimma, the system was designed to work in temperatures exceeding four degrees Celsius. However, the temperature in Iqaluit is currently hovering around -15 degrees Celsius.

Dimma pointed to the frozen river and stated, “As you can surely assume, the water temperature is significantly colder than four degrees.” The military is expected to stay in Iqaluit till Wednesday to run the system, but Dimma said members would stay longer if required.

Iqaluit’s water has been tested and found to be safe, according to the city. The Department of Health in Nunavut has received a report on water quality. The department has hired a third party to analyze the study.

Source: Global news