When fresh water in Watson Lake's distribution system starts looking like raw sewage, it's definitely time to do something, says the town's mayor.

Richard Durocher said in an interview Tuesday the community of 1,525 needs and deserves some assurance from the Yukon government that things are on track, but they're hearing nothing.

When staff flushed the system recently, one of the fire hydrants poured out dark brown water for 15 minutes or so.

So disturbing was the sight that staff took a video, and it was put on YouTube.

Durocher has sent a copy to Premier Dennis Fentie, who also serves as the town's MLA.

Community Services Minister Archie Lang has been sent a copy, as has premier-designate Darrell Pasloski, who will be sworn into office later this month.

But nobody's heard anything back, the mayor pointed out.

"For me as a municipal leader, this is absolutely unacceptable,” said Durocher.

"We know the Building Canada Fund is there, and we know the funding is at a certain amount and we know through our community sustainability exercise, water is our priority issue.”

A recent analysis of the town's water and sewer infrastructure has identified $17 million in essential repairs.

Durocher said at the very least, he'd like the Yukon government to spend a minimal amount this year doing what's needed to ensure there is a secure water supply, and commit to doing the rest next year.

This past winter, one of the town's two working water wells which supply all the water shut down, leaving Watson Lake with just one source, the mayor pointed out.

He said the second well has been restored for now, but the town has also been warned about the danger of going into next winter with just one secure source.

Should problems arise with that one well, there would be a serious threat to the water and sewer system, given that the system depends on a constant flow of water to keep from freezing up, he pointed out.

Durocher said over the last 40 years, the water and sewer infrastructure has turned into a Band-Aid approach of delivering essential services.

"Why can't we get the guarantee from them that we will actually get the money?” he asked.

Having clean drinking water, the mayor emphasized, is a fundamental right.

Stephen Conway, the town's chief administrative officer, said Tuesday when the dark brown water poured from the fire hydrant, it wasn't as if it was one-time affair.

Seeing brown water flow out of the household tap is not an unusual occurrence, and it's happened at his house, he said.

Conway said the problem is associated with the heavy concentration of iron and manganese in the water supply, and how it tends to build up in the system.

For years, he said, Watson Lake has exceeded the national standards for the two metals, though it's currently not a health issue.

But Durocher and Conway suspect they'd have a hard time trying to convince a visitor to drink a glass of the town's water at those times when the build-up of iron and manganese lets go.

"Even at my house, I've seen water that is even darker than you see it on that video.” said the chief administrative officer.

Conway said it's not uncommon for someone to walk in his office after laundry day to show off what used to be a once-white piece of clothing.

The recent analysis of the system, which included camera work inside the main water and sewer lines, recommended several priority measures be undertaken for the estimated $17 million, he pointed out.

The items include:

• replacement of the town's water treatment system;

• securing the well water supply;

• replacement of 800 metres of the water main and two kilometres of the sewer main;

• replacement of the sewage lift station; and

• expanding the city's water reservoir, which does not meet Canadian fire standards because it's one third the size of what it should be.

Conway said because of the sewage lift station's inability to handle the job, sometimes sewage bubbles out of a nearby manhole, forcing the town to park a truck on top of it to keep it from flowing into Wye Lake.

Something, insisted the chief administrative officer, needs to be done.

The Star contacted the premier's office Tuesday and this morning, but there's been no response.

Matt King, a spokesman for the Department of Community Services, said late this morning government officials have met with town officials as recently as May 18 to assure them the department is working toward resolving some of their issues.

There is currently $3.5 million available under the Building Canada Fund identified to do the work this year and next.

He said an engineering team is currently working on a schedule , and it's expected the work will begin this year.

The issue around security of supply from the town wells was not in the original scope of the $3.5 million, but the government has assured the community it is committed to ensuring the supply is secure before next winter, said King.