The government of Nunavut is sending bottled water and stainless steel pumps to Pangnirtung after a problem with the pipes at the community’s water treatment plant  has left residents without water service. 

The community of over 1,500 declared a state of emergency Thursday and asked residents to conserve water. In a Facebook post Wednesday, hamlet officials wrote that the pipe issue at the nine-year-old treatment plant is preventing them from filling water trucks to deliver water to homes. 

Tim Evic lives in Pangnirtung and said he draws water from the nearby Duval River so he’s not overly worried. But he says it would be challenging to run out of running water. 

“It’s kind of hard, like we need to do some washing, some dishes, and our toilets need to be running, and if there’s no water it doesn’t drain properly,” he said.

“We just don’t know how long the crisis is going to go on.”

Nunavut Emergency Management (NEM) said in an email Friday that it is shipping bottled water to Pangnirtung as well as stainless steel pumps to draw water directly from the reservoir. 

The Department of Transportation is also providing technical expertise related to the community’s water treatment plant. 

NEM said officials are still working to determine what caused the issue and how long it will take to fix. 

Meanwhile, the Department of Health has issued a boil water notice for the community that also applies to any water drawn from lakes and rivers. 

The advisory said all water for consumption must be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute. That includes water for drinking, preparing food, and brushing teeth.

“This is a safety measure due to the community drinking water supply being manually chlorinated due to ongoing work at the water treatment plant,” the department said in a notice Friday.

In a statement to CBC News, the Health department said Pangnirtung’s health centre is operating on an emergency basis only. 

“Staff continue to be mindful of water use while ensuring essential health services are maintained,” the statement said. 

The department also asked the public to practice safe hygiene, including handwashing with boiled or bottled water, to prevent the spread of illness.