PRINCE RUPERT, BC – This week’s heat wave created a water shortage in Witset.

According to the group’s Facebook page, the recent heat caused excessive snowmelt on a nearby glacier, so dirtying the village’s water supply that its water plant had to shut down on Sunday.

“The stream was visibly dark brown,” reads a group article. “He could not be treated and the factory had to be closed.”

The band’s maintenance team distributed bottled water to residents of the community. Porta-pots have been installed throughout the village and the Witset recycling team is distributing buckets of water to the elderly for flushing toilets.

In a statement released today, the group said turbidity in the village’s water supply system rose from more than 1,000 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) on Sunday to 304 at 6 a.m. today. 150 NTU is the ideal level at which river water can be treated.

“Our maintenance team made an effort to get water back to the community as soon as possible,” he says. “We understand your frustration and thank you for your patience.”

A man from Smithers also recently donated 300 gallons of water to the community. Water will be available at the Witset Food and Fuel car park on Thursday July 1 at 10 a.m.