Boil water advisory issued for northern parts of Okotoks, Alta.

People living in Okotoks, a town of 30,000 just south of Calgary, are being told to stop watering their lawns and gardens, while residents in the northern part of the community are being advised to boil their drinking water because of low supply in the reservoirs. 

The boil water advisory from Alberta Health Services and Alberta Environment and Parks affects several neighbourhoods: D'Arcy Ranch, Crystal Shores, Crystal Green, Air Ranch, Suntree and some parts of Crystal Ridge and Sandstone.

The town says people in those areas should boil water from the faucet for one minute before using it for drinking, food preparation or dental care purposes.  

A leak in the north end of town has compromised the water levels in two reservoirs, the province says.

"This is a precautionary measure that should be followed until further notice, and we want to thank those impacted by this advisory for their support and patience as we work through flushing and water quality testing to confirm the safety of the water," said Okotoks operations and water utilities director Chris Radford in a release. 

The boil water advisory will remain in effect until flushing is completed and bacteriological tests are done, the town says.

The entire town is covered by the mandatory outdoor watering ban, according to an Alberta Emergency Alert issued Monday.