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Supplying the population: bottled water
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CASEY LESSARD / REUTERS
Iqaluit has confirmed that fuel has entered the city's water supply in northern Canada.
The analysis of samples from one of the city's water tanks showed an "extraordinarily high concentration of various fuel components," the authorities said.
Accordingly, it is probably diesel or kerosene.
Residents of Iqaluit, the capital of Canada's northernmost territory, Nunavut, which borders Greenland, had previously reported smells of fuel in the water.
The authorities declared a state of emergency and asked the almost 8,000 residents to stop using the water for drinking and cooking.
It is not safe even after boiling.
Further investigations planned
Authorities suspect the fuel got into the tank through soil or groundwater pollution.
The water tank is now being emptied in order to carry out further investigations, it said.
The first delivery of drinking water for the population arrived by plane in Iqaluit, according to the Canadian Press news agency.
Further deliveries are expected in the coming days.
According to the information, the city has ordered 80,000 liters of water.
There is currently no evidence of long-term health effects for people who have drank the contaminated water, said Nunavut's chief medical officer Michael Patterson.
However, he announced that it could be the end of next week before clean tap water would be available again in the city.
wit / AP