Although some Lambton County residents obtain their drinking water from wells, most residents are served by a municipal system drawing water from Lake Huron.  The Lake is an excellent source of water but even treated water has the potential for quality concerns.  It may therefore be necessary for the Medical Officer of Health to advise the public to either boil or stop using piped water until the problem has been resolved.

Depending on the nature of the problem, the Medical Officer of Health may issue one of the following types of advisories: 

Boil Water Advisory – A boil water advisory informs and educates the public on what precautions to take prior to using water for drinking and other purposes until the safety of the drinking-water supply is confirmed or reinstated.

Under a boil water advisory, you will be asked to use bottled water or, to bring your tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute to make it safe.  Do not use untreated tap water to:

• drink
• gargle, brush your teeth or rinse dentures
• wash fruits, vegetables and other food
• make ice, juices, or other food

Drinking Water Advisory – A drinking water advisory informs and educates the public on what precautions to take prior to using water for drinking and other purposes until the safety of the drinking-water supply is confirmed or reinstated.

Unlike a boil water advisory, safe drinking water cannot be achieved by boiling it.  This condition may arise because a chemical or radiological standard is exceeded, or another condition, judged to be hazardous, cannot be rectified by boiling the water.  Do not use tap water for consumption or for any household purposes.

Under a drinking water advisory, you will be asked to use bottled water or an alternate safe water supply to:

• drink
• gargle, brush your teeth or rinse dentures
• wash fruits, vegetables and other food
• make ice, juices, or other food

**Remember - do not forget about pets!

If your drinking water has an unusual taste, colour or odour and you suspect that it has become contaminated, contact:

The County of Lambton Community Health Services Department:  519 383-8331 / 1-800-667-1839

The public will normally be notified of a water advisory through the media.  Those residing in the affected area may be provided with door-to-door notification.  Only the Medical Officer of Health can lift a Boil Water Advisory or Drinking Water Advisory when the issue has been resolved and the water is considered safe to drink.  As with any emergency, listen to your radio for news and updates!

Currently, there is considerable interest and speculation concerning the possibility of a world-wide flu pandemic.  It must be noted however that there are currently no viruses circulating which are capable of causing a pandemic.  The Asian H5N1 Avian Flu which has attracted so much attention over the last few years is caused by a virus which, at present, cannot easily be transmitted from one person to another through casual contact. 

A new virus would have to emerge or an existing virus would have to mutate to allow it to pass easily from one person to another before a pandemic could occur.  Historically, most previous pandemic viruses have been traced back to an avian (bird) or swine (pig) virus which were contagious or became contagious to humans through genetic mutation.

It has been observed that pandemics are cyclical and the next could occur at any time.  Major pandemics of the 20th century include the Spanish Flu (1918), the Asian Flu (1957) and the Hong Kong Flu (1968).

Public health professionals must therefore remain vigilant to ensure that systems are in place which are capable of controlling or responding to all infectious diseases.  Much work has been done at all levels of government in preparation for a potential flu pandemic.  Click here to view the Community Health Services Lambton County Pandemic Influenza Plan and on the links below to learn more about pandemics and pandemic planning: