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Function Junction’s water still going through tests

Boil water advisory still in effect

Function Junction’s water is still undergoing tests ever since a water sample from the lab came back with a high chloroform count last week.

A boil water advisory notice was posted at the entrance of the industrial park Wednesday, June 22 and was still up as of press time on Wednesday this week.

Jon Perrett, owner of Van West Water Utilities, the only private water company in Whistler, explained that a water test came back with a high chloroform count last week. But since then subsequent tests have come back fine.

"We did seven tests after that and everything was just fine," said Perrett.

The news of chloroform in the water came as a big surprise to Perrett who has never had a bad water test in the 25 years he has been testing Function’s water. The water comes from an underground aquifer.

He suspects it was an error with the testing process because the water had such a high chloroform count and yet there were no reports of illness in Function.

"I’ve had the system for 25 years and never had a bad report," he said this week.

Still, as soon as the test came back positive, Perrett went door to door to restaurants in the area warning them of the results. In addition to the sign at the entrance to Function Junction, there were radio notices warning residents not to drink the water without boiling it first.

Perrett submits tests to the health lab every two weeks. The chances of Function’s water getting contaminated are fairly low he explained because bacteria cannot survive without oxygen in a deep aquifer.

Though subsequent tests have come back positive, a boil water advisory remains in effect until the health department says otherwise.