‘People are resourceful’: Weyburn mayor relieved boil water advisory lifted

People in the Weyburn area were able to drink and cook from their taps again as of Wednesday afternoon, something the city’s mayor was happy to hear.

“It’s hard when you’re boiling water, you’re hauling water, you’re buying bottled water, so always a relief when it’s back to normal,” said Mayor Jeff Richards.

The area had been under a precautionary drinking water advisory since March 31 after a low-pressure event.

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Richards said there was a slight mechanical glitch that caused the depressurization. He said staff had it back up and running very quickly, but it still required testing.

“The rule is then when that depressurization happens, Water Security (Agency) then has a process that they go through,” the mayor explained.

He said it took a little longer because multiple tests were done in multiple areas in the community.

“So, it would take one of those to get contaminated, and it would reset the process,” he said.

And he thought the Easter long weekend might have played a factor as well.

The last time Weyburn was under a drinking water advisory was in 2019.

Richards said he’s grateful for the Water Security Agency’s process that keeps them all safe, and he’s grateful for how understanding people in the community were. He said he heard from a couple of restaurants that were concerned, but that most people were patient and understood the process.

“People are resourceful, and they find their way through these challenges,” said Richards.