For the past five weeks, there害羞草研究所檚 been a war of words on social media over the boil water notice.

At the City of Prince Rupert council meeting on Jan. 14, councillor Reid Skelton-Morven addressed the online commentary as 害羞草研究所渒eyboard warriors害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淔acebook trolls害羞草研究所�.

Tom Kertes was at that council meeting to learn more about the water situation.

害羞草研究所淚 saw a group of people who were felt like they were under seige and they were frustrated,害羞草研究所� he said.

Facebook is a terrible way for a community to solve problems, Kertes said, who is starting the grassroots organization 害羞草研究所� Community for Clean Water.

When the boil water notice was issued on Dec. 14, after microparasites were found in the water, Kertes said there was little information coming from the city until he realized he had to be on Facebook to see posts from Mayor Lee Brain.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what made me think 害羞草研究所榳e need to start a face-to-face organization害羞草研究所�. And what I want to do is have people that want to solve the problem 害羞草研究所� how do we make sure everyone who needs water gets it,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭his is like a community-wide problem. It害羞草研究所檚 not just city council害羞草研究所檚 problem.害羞草研究所�

His vision for Community for Clean Water is to provide clean water for everyone, even during the boil water notice. Some people, for example, have asked why the city won害羞草研究所檛 take the District of Port Edward up on their offer to truck potable water in for residents.

City communications manager, Veronika Stewart, has provided an updated page on the city website that includes the answer. The city has determined that 害羞草研究所渢his option presents additional health concerns with respect to the use of unsterilized containers害羞草研究所�.

Kertes said that Stewart has been 害羞草研究所渇antastic害羞草研究所� in responding to questions and reaching out.

害羞草研究所淏ut what I think is missing is community,害羞草研究所� he said. Kertes left Facebook a while ago, and doesn害羞草研究所檛 see social media as a good way to engage community. Before he was a teacher, he was a community organizer in Vancouver and Baltimore.

He plans to use his skills to network with unions, churches, First Nations groups and other organizations to develop long-term commitments for clean water in the city.

Rather than feed into negative comments on Facebook, he wants to maintain a constructive and solutions-focused discussion through Community for Clean Water.

For more information on how to get involved with the new grassroots organization visit

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North Coast MLA Rice responds

Prince Rupert害羞草研究所檚 representative in the provincial legislature also had a response to council害羞草研究所檚 presentation on the ongoing issues with water.

NDP North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice responded to acting Mayor Wade Niesh害羞草研究所檚 comments, saying that asking citizens to redirect their anger from social media to their provincial and federal representatives was 害羞草研究所渕isguided害羞草研究所�.

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Rice noted that the boil notice has been a legitimate hardship for Prince Rupert residents, especially the elderly, the sick, families with multiple children and those with small businesses in the food service industry.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 well aware of the issues, I害羞草研究所檓 boiling my water along with my fellow residents,害羞草研究所� Rice said in an interview a few days after the general council meeting. 害羞草研究所淚 certainly raised the issue as an important issue with both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing so they are well aware of the issue.害羞草研究所�

Rice went on to say that no one at city hall, whether elected or un-elected, had reached out to her to do more on the water boil notice other than ensure that the province had received the city害羞草研究所檚 applications for infrastructure funding. She also noted that water infrastructure falls under the purview of municipalities.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 their responsibility,害羞草研究所� Rice said.

Rice added that there are many communities in Canada who have submitted applications for that funding, and who have been under water boil notices for considerable lengths of time.

害羞草研究所淚 wish I could, you know, give you a great announcement or news, but it will be some time before we know the results of those grant applications,害羞草研究所� she said.

To report a typo, email: editor@thenorthernview.com.