Prince Rupert Residents Demand Relief Amid Frequent Boil Water Notices

Residents in Prince Rupert, B.C., are calling for relief from water utility fees as they face ongoing boil water advisories due to the city’s aging infrastructure. The latest advisory, issued Monday, affects roughly 14,000 people, marking the fifth such notice this year and leaving many feeling frustrated and financially strained.

Darren Lagimodiere, a longtime resident, says boil water advisories have become a regular occurrence, forcing people to install filtration systems or purchase bottled water at their own expense.

“People are fed up and out of pocket,” Lagimodiere said.

This year alone, the city has issued over two months' worth of boil water advisories, including a prolonged notice from September to October. Residents are advised to boil water for at least a minute before drinking, cooking, or brushing their teeth, as equipment failures and aging pipes continue to disrupt service.

A Century-Old Problem

Prince Rupert’s water system, installed in the early 1900s, has seen decades of neglect due to economic downturns in the 1980s and 1990s when major employers like pulp mills and fish plants shut down. While the city’s economic fortunes have improved with the growth of the Port of Prince Rupert—now Canada’s third-busiest port—its infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the city’s expansion.

The city’s $205 million "BIG Project" (Big Infrastructure Gap) aims to replace 26 kilometers of aging pipes and other critical infrastructure. The provincial and federal governments have committed $65 million and $77.2 million, respectively, but the city must cover the remaining cost.

“We’re working hard to address a century-old problem,” said Mayor Herb Pond. “But the reality is, residents will have to endure more advisories in the short term as we replace key parts of the system.”

A Call for Relief

Lagimodiere has started a petition urging the city to waive water utility fees until the system is fixed. However, Pond argues that the fees are necessary to fund the much-needed repairs.

“I understand their frustration,” Pond said. “But there’s just no other source of money. If we discount fees, we won’t be able to do the work needed to solve the problem.”

The city declared a state of emergency in 2022 after multiple pipes burst, highlighting the urgent need for upgrades. Despite receiving substantial government support, the city’s funds remain stretched thin.

A Long Road Ahead

Pond says residents can expect “clean, clear, and reliably delivered” water within the next three years, but in the meantime, more advisories are likely as construction disrupts the current system.

For Lagimodiere, waiting isn’t enough. He believes the city should do more to support residents who are bearing the cost of past neglect.

“It’s not fair to pass the burden onto the little guy,” Lagimodiere said. “The city finds money for contractors but doesn’t seem to care about those struggling at the bottom.”

As Prince Rupert’s water system undergoes its long-overdue overhaul, residents remain caught in a cycle of inconvenience and uncertainty, waiting for the promise of clean and reliable water to become a reality.