On October 9, 2026, the Sunshine Coast Regional District announced a boil-water advisory for customers on the Eastbourne Water Service on Keats Island, issued by Vancouver Coastal Health because of “elevated levels of bacteria detected in the water supply.” It stays in effect until further notice, until Vancouver Coastal Health is confident it is no longer needed. The SCRD said its staff would be on Keats Island that day to investigate the cause, which it has not named. The SCRD says the issue is not believed to be related to the supplemental water delivered during the summer.
The system draws on an aquifer. In August the SCRD said that, “due to lower-than-normal aquifer levels,” it would barge treated water from its Regional Water System to Keats Island from August 25 and transfer it into the Eastbourne system at the wellfield to keep its 173 connections supplied through late August and into September. It also said engineering and design work was under way on plans for two test wells that could add supply.
The advisory is not a finding that the aquifer is contaminated. Until the SCRD names a cause, the bacteria are known only to be in the water supply.
The Note: A boil-water advisory tells you what to do with the water today. It does not tell you where the bacteria came from, and you should not guess until the SCRD provides that information.
Who should pay attention: Anyone using water from the Eastbourne Water Service, including residents, visitors, and renters, and anyone buying a property it serves.
What to do next: On the Eastbourne system, use boiled water that has cooled or bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, washing fruits and vegetables, preparing food and baby formula, making ice, and giving to pets. To boil water, heat it until bubbles come quickly from the bottom of the pot to the top, keep heating it for one more minute, then let it cool and store it in a clean, sanitized container with a cover.
A home filter may not be enough: the Province says you may still need to boil your water, depending on the circumstances of your water supply, and to consult your drinking water officer for guidance.
Keep boiling until the advisory is lifted; the Province says the water supplier must inform all users when it is. The SCRD is posting signs throughout the community and is asking residents to tell their neighbours. Check scrd.ca for updates, or call the SCRD at 604-885-6806. The advisory covers the Eastbourne Water Service; it says nothing about whether a separate private well is safe, and private-well owners are responsible for testing their water.
Checked against: SCRD, Eastbourne – Boil Water Advisory in Effect, October 9, 2026; SCRD, Supplemental Water Supply for Eastbourne, August 25, 2026; Province of BC, Water Quality Notifications; HealthLinkBC File 05b, Well Water Testing · checked October 10, 2026
