Military faces cold weather issues as it pumps clean drinking water in Iqaluit
IQALUIT, Nunavut — A flowing river that turns to solid ice in October, freezing pipes and frosty arctic temperatures are all routine for Nunavummiut.
But those issues were a first for a water treatment system previously used by the Canadian Armed Forces in places, including Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and the Philippines.
Iqaluit has been under a state of emergency since Oct. 12 when fuel was found in the water at the city’s treatment plant. Residents have not been able to drink tap water since then.
The city has said that fuel from an old underground spill near the treatment plant may have leaked into the water system