Going without the flow

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This article was published 29/01/2015 (3914 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

STORES: Swimming in water sales

CALL it a tidal wave of water sales.

The boil-water advisory in effect since Tuesday evening has meant strong sales for the bottled-water industry in this town. Take the Food Fare on Portage Avenue.

Owner Husni Zeid saw his inventory disappear in 15 minutes Tuesday night, as people scrambled to find bottled water. On Wednesday, he picked up some more and started selling cases on the sidewalk in front of the store.

“We sold 75 cases in an hour and a half,” he said. “Cases of 24 bottles. I have 300 coming right now, 200 12-packs and 125 cases of four-litre jugs.”

That shipment arrived at noon, and as staff rushed to get the product on the shelves, potential customers were hanging around with money in hand, waiting for the impromptu sidewalk sale.

“I’m gripped by the paranoia that’s been sweeping our city,” said Justin Harms, tongue firmly planted in his cheek. “Seriously, though, I’ve had some health issues and I figured it would be a good idea to have some water on hand just in case.”

Another customer, who didn’t want to be identified, put the hoarding in perspective: “People saw the brown water and frozen pipes in the city last year, and they don’t want to be left with no water,” she said. “This is a different situation, but I understand the excitement. You can’t blame them.”

Zeid said he’s been a little shocked at the frenzy.

“It’s a convenience thing for people,” he said. “A lot of people, if they have families with kids, they can just hand them a bottle to take to school. I think maybe people are panicking a little too much, but I understand why that is.”

At the Pembina Highway retail location of Corpell’s Water, they sold more in 31/2 hours Wednesday morning to walk-in customers than they usually sell in a week.

“It’s nothing we’ve ever seen before. It’s crazy,” said store manager Kurt Friesen.

— Jason Bell, Adam Wazny

 

SCHOOLS: Learning to cope with the ban

WINNIPEG schools and post-secondary institutions fared relatively well without water Wednesday — but what happens if it goes on and on?

“If it ends up being long-term, we’d have to start discussing being creative,” River East Transcona School Division superintendent Kelly Barkman said Wednesday.

Many parents heeded requests to send bottled water — store-bought or boiled and bottled at home — to school with their kids Wednesday. Schools taped garbage bags over drinking fountains, cafeterias cut back their offerings, and high schools caught a break because many students are in school only a few hours during exam week.

Smaller schools are able to boil enough water to supplement what students and staff bring to school, Barkman said.

“For the most part, life is going on.”

Seven Oaks S.D. superintendent Brian O’Leary said schools are trying to keep things as normal as possible.

“There’s a significant run on bottled beverages. The cafeterias will offer some items and not others,” said O’Leary. “We’ve taped garbage bags over (fountains). The ones that have filters, we’ll replace them before we use them again.”

Meanwhile, the University of Manitoba put bags over all its water fountains and put up signs. Food services are operating, but options are limited to bottled products, and there are no fountain drinks.

Red River College shut down Jane’s restaurant and its café at the culinary arts school downtown — so far, only for Wednesday — and is providing bottled water to the college’s daycare centre and to students living in residence. RRC is providing updates at http://media.rrc.ca/news/advisories/.

At the Pembina Trails School Division, “Our fountains have been shut off, and classes are running as scheduled,” said a school official.

“We notified our community (Tuesday evening), asking parents to send bottled or boiled water with their kids today. Our high school cafeterias are closed his week due to exams,” she said.

The Winnipeg School Division said schools are coping well, with no cancellations of any events or activities. Because high schools are writing exams, there are fewer students in the buildings than usual, and food services have not been available all week.

The University of Winnipeg has been urging all students and staff to adhere to the city’s guidelines.

“Classes and other activities are continuing on campus as normal,” said a university official.

The U of W supplied students in residence with bottled water and has temporarily lifted the environmental ban on plastic water bottles on campus. Some food and coffee services were curtailed.

The U of W brought in clean water and cups for people using the athletic and recreation facilities at RecPlex and the Duckworth centre.

— Nick Martin

 

RESTAURANTS: Simmering without customers

THE food-service industry has been placed on standby.

Some restaurants have ceased operations for the time being, until the city gives the green light the water out of the tap can be used for drinking and washing food.

At Polo Park shopping centre, restaurants in the food court were handed a memo from mall operations shortly after 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday that all food services would be halted until the boil-water advisory was lifted.

“The memo just told us not to open, in the interest of public health,” said Anna-Joy Careme, owner of the Cultures fresh option restaurant. “I understand why. You can’t supervise everyone and make sure they’ll being smart with the water.”

Careme, who also owns Cultures at St. Vital Centre, said she relies on tap water at every turn. Fresh vegetables and salads require washing, and she can’t do that without a source.

“For some other places, it really won’t be that big a deal. Some places have pre-made food and deep fry everything, so they should be upset that they can’t open now.”

The food court at St. Vital remained open, Careme said, but she closed her location there as a precaution.

“It’s the middle of the week, so it’s not too bad. If it was a Friday or a Saturday I’d probably be a little mad, though.”

Derek Ali, manager at the Arby’s at Polo Park, said like everyone else, once the city says the water is free of bacteria, he’ll open as soon as possible. But any prolonged extension of the advisory, he said, would be noticed at the register.

“We only really use the water for washing dishes and through our fountain-drink machine,” Ali said. “Washing hands, too. I’m a little surprised that the whole food court is shut down, but I get it.

“Public safety is obviously the No. 1 thing with something like this.”

Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association executive director Scott Jocelyn said some places closed for the day, while most others stayed open but did things differently to ensure the health and safety of their customers.

“Some have certainly erred on the side of caution,” he said. “Others are doing business with a different routine than on a regular day.”

That meant placing a bottle of water on tables instead of a glass of water, or heating water to a much higher temperature when making coffee.

“It’s been a challenge to get the message out to everyone, but this is where social media can be really helpful,” Jocelyn said.

“We work closely with the health department, and we’ve piggybacked with them to send messages out to ensure our members are aware… ensuring we’re doing things safely.”

— Jason Bell, Adam Wazny

 

SENIORS HOMES: Mixed experiences

THE boil-water advisory made national news Tuesday night, but not everyone in Winnipeg got the message in a timely manner.

A resident at Sturgeon Creek II retirement home said she only learned about the advisory when her granddaughter called her Tuesday evening. The woman, who didn’t want to be identified, said she didn’t receive any information from staff there not to drink tap water. The only indication she got from them that there was a problem was during lunch Wednesday in the dining room.

“They removed the water pitcher from the table and replaced it with bottled water,” she said.

A senior who lives across the Assiniboine River from her said staff at The Wellington were “super” about informing residents about the problem.

“They’re just doing a splendid job,” said Doris Woodward, a resident in the Charleswood assisted-living facility. Residents had pamphlets dropped off at their suites Tuesday night and a residents meeting was held Wednesday morning to talk about the advisory and how it is being handled. “The people with dementia — they were speaking to them individually,” Woodward said.

In a nursing home in Wolseley Wednesday, residents could freely get water from the taps without any signs reminding them not to drink it.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority wouldn’t comment on the specifics of how retirement homes and seniors facilities should respond when a boil-water advisory is issued.

Most care home operators wouldn’t comment, either. One referred media inquiries to the WRHA. Others didn’t respond at all. The regional marketing director for one company who did respond couldn’t say how they informed residents about the advisory.

“We did the posting and contacted all of our tenants,” said Bruce Lillie with All Seniors Care Living Centres Inc. “We’re taking the advisory very seriously, like anybody.”

The inconsistency in getting information out about the advisory wasn’t limited to seniors homes.

On Tuesday night, soon after Mayor Brian Bowman announced the boil-water advisory was in effect, signs were posted all over the indoor SUBWAY Soccer South complex at the University of Manitoba. The complex is run by the Winnipeg Soccer Federation, which did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

On the other side of the city, at the Seven Oaks Soccer-Plex Tuesday night, players were seen filling water bottles from drinking fountains. Staff at the complex later posted signs about the advisory in washrooms and at the drinking fountains, said Martino Vergata, the vice-president of sports at the Garden City Community Centre.

He said the centre has a canteen that sells bottled water. On Wednesday morning, community centres received a notice from the General Council of Winnipeg Community Centres about the advisory, Vergata said. After learning city water test results came back negative for contamination Wednesday, he expects the advisory will be lifted soon.

“It’s better to be safe and more cautious.”

 

— Carol Sanders