Liquid manure from British Columbia floods may have contaminated some Lower Continent wells | The Canadian News

The British Columbia government is warning Lower Mainland residents who rely on private wells that overflowing liquid manure may have contaminated their water supply.

Catastrophic flooding in November may have caused liquid manure storage systems to overflow, the Health Department said Saturday.

Residents of the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley regional districts are advised to evaluate their wells and “take steps to protect the people who use the well water,” the Health Department wrote in a press release.

According to the province, liquid manure may have been released through animal movement, milk disposal in manure storage systems, or excessive precipitation in storage systems.

Drinking water contaminated with fecal matter, which contains harmful bacteria, can lead to gastrointestinal illness, says the HealthLink BC website.

Symptoms of E. coli Infections include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea, but the infection usually clears up on its own if the patient drinks a lot of water.

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The Environment Department requires flood-affected farm operators whose manure storage systems have overflowed to report to the ministry by December 19.

Some 628,000 chickens, 420 dairy cows and 12,000 pigs died during the floods, and thousands more were evacuated along with residents of the worst affected communities.

More information about disinfect private wells is available from the Department of the Environment website.