Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health

Fire chief, water operator detail response to Hillsburgh boil water advisory

Fire chief, water operator detail response to Hillsburgh boil water advisory

Before a boil water advisory for Hillsburgh residents was lifted last week, Erin fire chief Jim Sawkins was already praising the town’s response during a July 13 council meeting. “Our first priority last night was to get the message out, to get them to stop drinking their water,” the chief said of department’s July 12 response to the advisory. “Before I left last night, after buying them seven pizzas, I said, ‘You know what, you should be proud, the town is proud. You guys came together very quickly and did this,’” Sawkins told council of a conversation he had with the 25 volunteer firefighters who hand-delivered notices to affected residents.

Boil water warning ends in Hillsburgh

Boil water warning ends in Hillsburgh

The boil water advisory for Hillsburgh was lifted on Saturday. The Ministry of Health issued the notice Wednesday, warning residents and businesses to stop using the drinking water system immediately. According to Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, three water samples were collected on July 12 and July 13. They were tested for total coliform and E. coli bacteria. The health inspector now says “the test results indicate the water is bacteriologically safe to drink.” As such, the boil water advisory was removed.