St. Stephen, N.B, water boil order approaches second week with hopes for testing to begin soon

A boil water order in St. Stephen, N.B., is approaching its second week.

The timeline is becoming clearer for when a boil water order may end in St. Stephen, N.B., after beginning nearly two weeks ago.

The municipal district says it has isolated a vacuum pump failure at its Maxwell Crossing water treatment facility, but is still trying to pinpoint the exact location for repairs.

In the meantime, the municipality says it has made operation changes to isolate the vacuum pump’s problematic area, which may allow public health to begin testing as early as Wednesday.

The municipality says depending on test results, the boil order may be lifted by the end of the week. Until then, the municipal water supply isn’t considered safe for drinking or cooking unless brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute.

The boil order was first issued on Feb. 8 after tests detected high turbidity levels following a water line replacement a few days earlier.

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