YELLOWKNIFE (January 16, 2026) - The Chief Environmental Health Officer is advising all residents in Wekweètì to boil their drinking water for at least one minute.
This advisory is precautionary in nature and is due to freezing damage to infrastructure in the community water treatment plant associated with an extended recent power outage. The treatment plant currently cannot properly treat the water. There have been no illnesses associated with drinking water reported in the community.
The community in collaboration with MACA are working to resolve the mechanical failure as soon as possible. The Chief Environmental Health Officer, in collaboration with the community government, will continue to monitor the situation and provide formal notice to lift this boil water advisory.
Please be advised that this advisory is issued for precautionary reasons only.
All water used for drinking, preparing food, hot and cold beverages, ice cubes, washing fruits and vegetables, and dental hygiene must be boiled. This is of particular importance in the case of the preparation of infant formulas. Do not drink water from public drinking fountains. It is not necessary to boil water used for other household purposes. You may shower, bathe or wash using tap water, but avoid swallowing the water.
Alternatives to boiling water include using bottled water or water that has been processed by one of the following methods:
- Distillation
- Reverse osmosis
- Filtered using a filter size of 1 micron absolute or less
Note: “Brita” type drinking water filters, which use activated carbon filters, are not a safe method for treating water during a Boil Water Advisory. They do not disinfect the water.
Answers to frequently asked Questions during a Boil Water Advisory are available at: Frequently Asked Questions During a Boil Water Advisory | Health and Social Services (gov.nt.ca)
For more information, contact:
Andrew Wind
Manager Communications
Health and Social Services