Virden residents are using bottled water after arsenic levels in the town’s supply exceeded Health Canada’s safety limit, prompting ongoing advisories
Virden Residents Take Precautions After Arsenic Found in Water Supply
VIRDEN — Some residents of Virden are taking precautions after high levels of arsenic were discovered in the town’s water supply late last year.
One community member increased her purchases of bottled water since a precautionary advisory was issued in October.
“It’s been more common to purchase water every time I go to the drugstore — get a 12-pack or two-four pack, whatever’s on sale,” said Chris Dunning.
Dunning mentioned she has reduced her water usage “just for my own health.”
Last month, the town’s aquifer was found to have approximately 0.25 milligrams of arsenic per litre of water, which exceeds Health Canada’s drinking water safety guideline limit of 0.10.
The advisory, still in effect, recommends using bottled water for drinking and food preparation. Tap water is acceptable for laundry, showering, and washing dishes.
The town has faced arsenic issues in its water sources for years.
Boiling the water will not lower the arsenic level and may slightly increase the concentration, according to the advisory.
The guideline is based on a lifetime exposure of 70 years, which “can slightly increase cancer risk” over long periods.
Dunning expressed that she is not worried about the situation, noting, “it’s been like this for years and years.”
“What’s another year, other than … our taxes will definitely go up to try and offset the expenses,” she added.
A precautionary advisory was issued in mid-October as the town prepared to switch to a new aquifer after consultants found the existing source was “seriously low.” The town transitioned to the new source in November.
Another resident, Darren More, began hauling water from a friend’s farm after the first advisory in October. He briefly stopped because the town was not providing regular updates, leading him to believe the advisory had been lifted.
More, 45, stated he stopped using tap water in October but gradually returned to it until he saw the December notice.
“I’d been unknowingly drinking the arsenic levels,” he said while walking his two dogs. “I have Lyme disease, and I kind of noticed a little more upset stomach and just feeling weird.”
Now, he is back to hauling water with a large orange cooler “just to be on the safe side.”
More said the advisory does not overly concern him, but he would like the town to improve communication about the situation, even if it’s just on Facebook.
“In 2026, messaging can be done so much more quickly and easily,” More noted.
“In this day and age, you’re not writing the letter to everybody in town once a week and stamping and mailing and hoping they get it. You can send out a Facebook message saying that there’s no change from last week.”
In a phone interview on Wednesday, Mayor Tina Williams stated the town is still searching for another water source and is making changes to its plant to address the high arsenic levels.
The changes include adjustments to how the water flows through the plant, aligning it more with the previous system.
Williams indicated there hasn’t been much change since the town’s advisory on December 19.
While the advisory suggests using different water sources for food and drinking, she stated the current wells “don’t have high arsenic.”
“They have slightly above the Canadian levels at the moment, but, I mean, there’s nothing high about it,” Williams said.
She explained that arsenic levels fluctuate because the chemical element occurs naturally.
Williams added that the town will continue using those wells “for at least some time” while awaiting feedback from a hydrologist before proceeding to the next stage.
Finding a new source presents challenges, as the town uses a significant amount of water, according to Williams.
She mentioned that the town is in regular contact with the province and the water services board.
A provincial spokesperson stated that the Office of Drinking Water and the Department of Environment and Climate Change oversee public water systems, issue advisories, and monitor quality.
ECC and Manitoba Health “remain closely engaged with the Town of Virden,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.
| Event | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Advisory Issued | October 2022 | Precautionary advisory for high arsenic levels |
| New Aquifer Transition | November 2022 | Town moved to a new water source |
| Latest Advisory | December 19, 2022 | No significant change in water quality |
