Public Health Emergency Extended Amid Water Crisis in Remote Canadian City of Iqaluit
A public health emergency was extended for the remote, Arctic city of Iqaluit on Thursday, October 14, days after the Nunavut Department of Health issued an advisory warning residents of contaminated water.
On October 12, the department identified a possible presence of petroleum hydrocarbons at the city’s water treatment plant and were conducting additional tests.
According to CTV News, residents have been lining up for hours to buy bottled water priced at about nine dollars per liter.
This footage filmed by Iqaluit resident Yipeng Ge shows him filling two jugs of water at a local river due to the ongoing water crisis. “Clean drinking water that is accessible and affordable should be a right for all communities,” he wrote in a tweet. “We should never take this for granted either. Thankful to have jugs courtesy of the hospital and means to transport some water.”
The extended public health emergency was expected to remain in effect until October 28. Credit: Yipeng Ge via Storyful
