Montreal's South Shore Under Boil Water Advisory After Dangerous E. Coli Bacteria Found In Water Supply

In news of the 'ewwwww' sort, St-Bruno-de-Montarville has issued a boil-water advisory after it found the presence of E.coli in its water system. 

The South Shore municipality water supply serves a population of over 27,000 people. 

This could quite possibly be the worst timing for a notice of this sort with such hot summer days ahead of us. 

So what should you do if you're affected by the boil-water advisory? First of all, bottled water is the safest best. But that can get pricey, so make sure that any water you or your furry friends consume is boiled for a minimum of one minute. And that's a rolling boil for one minute.   

According to Urgence Quebec, you should also boil water for any of the below:  

• Preparing infant formula, feeding bottles and baby food

• Preparing drinks, juices, tea and coffee

• Washing fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw

• Preparing foods that do not require prolonged cooking (canned soups, jelly, etc.)

• Making ice cubes

• Brushing your teeth

• Providing drinking water for pets such as dogs, cats, birds and reptiles. 

Read More: 29 People Have Died By Drowning In Quebec Already This Summer

Boiled water can be good for up to three days as long as it's stored in a sealed container in your fridge. It's also good for up to 24 hours at room temperature. But who wants lukewarm water? 

E.coli contamination can have some pretty nasty side effects. 

Consult your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms: 

• nausea

• vomiting

• headache

• mild fever

• severe stomach cramps

• watery or bloody diarrhea

Symptoms can take anywhere from 1 to 10 days after exposure to show up. 

If you were planning to take part in the Aviators water games or going to the Rabastalière paddling pool, unfortunately, these are closed until further notice. But if you need to cool down and relax in some water, you can still check out Montreal's newest beach. 

If you're concerned about exposure, you can also contact Info-santé at 8-1-1.

To keep up-to-date on the advisory, check out St Bruno's web page. 

For more information about water contamination, check out Urgence Quebec's page here.