The Town of Shaunavon has been receiving a high number of calls regarding the discoloration of the water in the community.

The Town states that water usage in the winter is much lower than in the summer, and this lower usage allows the water to sit longer in the pipes and anything suspended in the water tends to settle out. We have naturally occurring iron in the well water, which, when it comes out of the well, is in a dissolved state. The town adds chlorine to the winter that oxidizes the iron and turns it the red/brown  color.

This iron settles to the bottom of the pipe as the water sits and it stays there until there is a change in flow. This stirs up the iron and causes the discoloration residents see when they turn on their taps. 

The Town says there is nothing infiltrating the water system or getting in from the outside. They have a closed system that is very solid.

They have sent discolored samples away over the last six months and had them tested to make sure they are safe, and every time they came back high in iron. 

This past week the town was doing some work on the wells east of town and they were down for a few days. When they brought them back online that caused a change in flow and stirred up the sediment in the pipe.

If it were summertime, the Town says, they could flush some hydrants to help clear up the issue, but since its winter they cannot do that.

Residents that notice discoloration of their water should let their cold water tap run for a while. This should help clear everything up.