Water quality advisories are being issued for the Pritchard, Sunnyside, West Kelowna Estates and Lakeview Systems due to above normal turbidity, which can interfere with chlorination treatment.
The advisory affects approximately 7,000 households living in the northern half of the City of West Kelowna, plus businesses, daycares, schools and care facilities, who receive water from the four systems. An interactive map is available.
Children, the elderly, people with weakened immunity and anyone else seeking added protection should use boiled water or an alternate, safe source, for drinking, brushing teeth, washing fruits and vegetables, preparing food, making beverages and ice, and mixing baby formula. Customers can visit HealthLinkBC for more information about preventing water-borne infections.
Residents are being given free access to the bulk water station at Shannon Lake and Asquith Roads. A tap is located on the Asquith Road side of the station. Users must bring their own containers, and hoses if needed, and ensure they are clean and suitable for potable water.
Above normal turbidity in the Lakeview system has been recorded within the distribution system and staff is investigating the cause. Turbidity in the Pritchard, Sunnyside, and West Kelowna Estates Systems is being recorded at Okanagan Lake intake sites and is caused by spring runoff.
Since the four systems use only chlorination as treatment, bacteria, viruses and microorganisms can attach themselves to suspended particles in the turbid water and become shielded from chlorine disinfection.
The City of West Kelowna is currently designing the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant, with construction expected to start later this year and be completed in 2020. Once completed, the plant will provide multi-barrier protection for all four systems.
The City of West Kelowna will issue notice once the advisories are lifted. Users are asked to subscribe to e-Notifications at www.westkelownacity.ca/notifyme to receive automatic updates.
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