10-Day Boil Water Advisory In St. Stephen, NB Caused By Pipe Collapse

A 10-day boil water advisory in the Municipal District of St. Stephen due to turbidity issues came to an end on Friday.

"We noticed turbidity, which is caused by dirt stirring up in the well, which alerted an alarm," said Mayor Allan MacEachern of the Municipal District of St. Stephen.

Investigations revealed that the problem was caused by a broken pipe that created a small breach in the foundation of the more-than-100-year-old well. Fortunately, the opening causing the turbidity was eventually closed when gravity pushed the ground above the well downward, plugging the breach for the time being.

"When it collapsed, it sealed itself, which was a bonus, but now we are working on a plan of action. This is a big deal. It's a huge well with huge costs, and we need the support of the province," said Mayor MacEachern.

Resolving the issue long-term could mean anything from costly restoration of the well to replacing it altogether. 

"Engineers will look at every avenue and determine the best route with the most longevity," said MacEachern.

Just days after the inquest into Hillary Hooper's death came to a close, the province introduced an act to amend the coroners act, which could make an inquiry mandatory when a person dies by suicide in a hospital setting. MLA Andrea Anderson-Mason of Fundy-the Isles-Saint John West said the inspiration for the amendment came from a bipartisan conversation she had with Green Party leader David Coon.

"We did the research. I did a cross-Canada scan. Most jurisdictions have it that if someone passes in a healthcare setting there is an automatic inquiry. That was a gap in our system," said MLA Anderson-Mason.

Finally, Charlotte County Whalers won the U13 A Provincials on home ice at the WC O'Neill Arena on Sunday. Spectators were on the edge of their seats for the length of close game versus the Grand Falls Jr. Cats, which ended with a score of 5-4.