On Monday July 18 the entire Town of Shaunavon will be placed on a Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory.

This advisory is being put in place while crews continue to replace the sliding gate fire hydrants around various sections of the community.

Shaunavon Mayor Kyle Bennett explains why it's necessary to put the entire town under the advisory.

"The whole system is connected in such a way that we can somewhat isolate, but it's hard to isolate. And in order to get this done as quickly and efficiently as possible, if the whole town is under the Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory our contractor can go ahead and get things done."

The Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory will remain in place until the project is complete, approximately four weeks.

Affected properties  received special notice and instructions in their quarterly utility bill.

Residents should boil all water  used for drinking purposes for at least one minute at a rolling boil prior to use.

Boil water to be used for other activities where it may be ingested including brushing teeth or soaking false teeth, washing fruits and vegetables, food or drink which will not be subsequently heated, and ice cubes.

Do not use water for washing dishes, unless the water has been boiled or the dishes are sanitized in another fashion.

Do not drink from public drinking fountains, ensure that younger children and infants are sponge bathed, use an alternate water source known to be safe, and consult with a doctor if you have cuts or rashes that are severe before using the water.

There is no need to boil water used for other household purposes. Adults, adolescents and older children may shower, bathe or wash using tap water but should avoid swallowing the water.

Laundry may be washed in tap water, either by hand or by machine.

Anyone with questions should contact the Town Office at 306-297-2605,  The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency at 306-741-9850 or the Saskatchewan Health Authority at 306-778-5280.

Users will be notified on all media platforms when the advisory is lifted.