PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. -- UPDATE: Witset's water system is once again running, as of Thursday morning. However, the band is still asking residents to conserve water to ensure the community has enough water for fire protection, and also to give the water system time while it catches up. 

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This week's heat wave has created a water shortage in Witset.

According to the band's Facebook page, the recent heat created excessive snow melt on a nearby glacier, which dirtied the village's water supply so much its water plant had to shut down on Sunday.

"The creek was visibly dark brown," reads a post from the band. "It could not be treated and the plant needed to be shut down."

The band's maintenance team distributed bottled water to residents in the community. Porta-potties have been set up throughout the village, and the Witset recycling team is delivering buckets of water to elders for flushing toilets.

In a statement today, the band says turbidity in the village's water system has decreased from over 1000 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTUs) on Sunday to 304 at 6 a.m. today. 150 NTUs is the ideal level that river water can be treated at.

"Our Maintenance team has been working at getting water back to the community as soon as they possibly can," it says. "We understand your frustration and we thank you for your patience."

A man from Smithers also recently donated 300 gallons of water to the community. The water will be available at the Witset Food and Fuel parking lot on Thursday, July 1st at 10 a.m.