Winnipeg town hall planned as brown water continues

The Winnipeg city councillor whose ward was hit by a boil water advisory earlier this week wants to hold a town hall to discuss the city's water woes.

St. Vital Coun. Brian Mayessaysthe idea came from two water concerns that came up recently: the advisory, which was issued forsouth St. Vital on Tuesday night and much of Wednesday, and numerous complaints he has received from residents about discoloured water flowing from their taps.

While the two issues are not related, Mayes said people are upset and they want answers.

"I am thinking of having a town hall meeting in late October in south St. Vital to talk about these different issues, focusing on the boil water issue which, I mean, [it's the] first time in the city history we have had that and also the brown water issues," he said.

"We haven't solved that problem, the brown water one. But I want to make clear to people that these were two separate problems, and the advisory now has been lifted and we've dealt with the whole boil water issue."

Mayes is trying to line up experts to speak at the event,which he hopes will take place on Oct. 28.

For one woman in St. Vital, however, the answers can't come fast enough.

Wanda-Lynn Creith says after suffering through periodic episodes of brown water, then the boil water advisory, the water coming out of her taps again Friday is discoloured.

"As a resident in Winnipeg, I know I'm not supposed to drink the water when I go to Mexico, but maybe when I'm in Winnipeg I shouldn't be drinking the water either," she said.

Creith said she's called the city repeatedly about the brown water and has asked what is being done to fix it.

She said she has yet to receive any answers.

"I'm having a hard time fathoming that we've allowed our infrastructure to bring us to a third world country status," she said.

Brown water plagues Sherbrook Street eatery

One restaurant owner whose businessis not in St. Vital is fed up, too, with the water problems.

Mitesh Trivedi, owner of Charisma of India on Sherbrook Street,said with brown water coming out of the taps in his restaurant again Friday, he's using bottled water to prepare,cook and serve meals.

He said the issue is costing him money, and he also wants answers from the city.

"What we provide to our customers, when they pay us, we provide them what they want," he said.

"I think I expect the same thing when [the] city is charging us property and business tax and for the health department, they are asking for some licensing fees and all that."