Water advisories and notices still in effect throughout central Okanagan

The City of Kelowna is reminding residents that a water quality advisory is still in effect.

The advisory was issued on Friday afternoon after elevated turbidity levels were noted at city water intakes.  The advisory will remain in effect until further notice.

Kelowna residents are served by one of five water providers throughout the city. To find out which one they are on, residents can enter in their address using the find your water provider tool a by clicking here.

With so many different notifications in place throughout the central Okanagan right now, the city of Kelowna is issuing the following information so that the public is fully aware of the status and risk associated with different types of notifications.

Types of Alerts:

Water Quality Advisory: Used in situations in which the public health threat posed by the water supply system is modest, and actions can be taken to reduce the risks through means other than requiring a Boil Water Notice or Do Not Use Water Notice. This is the level of alert the City of Kelowna Water Utility is currently under for turbidity levels between 1-5 NTU.

Boil Water Notice:  Used in situations in which the public health threat posed by the water supply system is significant and the nature of the threat is one that can be effectively addressed through boiling of the water. This is reserved for water turbidity water conditions that exceed 5 NTU or have indication of positive Coliform bacteria in the system.

Do Not Use Notice:  Used in situations where a significant public health threat exists in relation to the water supply system, and the threat cannot be adequately addressed through a Water Quality Advisory or Boil Water Notice.

Interior Health Authority’s recommendations for a Water Quality Advisory:

Who should take precaution:
• People with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses
• People under 12 and over 65 years of age
• People wishing for additional protection

How to take precaution:
• Boil water for one minute, then store in clean covered containers in your refrigerator. Be sure water is cool before drinking to avoid burns or scalds.
• Use filtered or distilled water
• Use an alternative water resource (e.g. bottled water)
Other than turbidity, there is no indication of chemical parameters that exceeded any health related concentration limits according to the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Testing will continue on a frequent basis until it is determined that quality levels are well within Drinking Water and Interior Health guidelines. At that time Interior Health will determine whether the advisory can be lifted.

In West Kelowna, a water quality advisory has been issued for users of the West Kelowna Estates Water System due to increased turbidity in water drawn from Okanagan Lake.

The advisory affects approximately 1,000 connections within the West Kelowna Estates Water System.

Water quality advisories also remain in effect for the Pritchard Water System (150 connections) and the Sunnyside Water System (1,000 connections).

Users are encouraged to sign up for e-notification on the city’s website and you can do that by clicking here.

Free water is available at the City of West Kelowna’s bulk water station at Shannon Lake and Asquith Roads. Water can be accessed at a tap located on the Asquith Road side of the station. Users need to bring their own containers, and hoses if needed, and ensure they are clean and suitable for potable water. The free access is granted for the duration of the current water quality advisories.

In Peachland, a boil water notice is still in effect due to recent storms that have resulted in higher water volumes and velocities causing erosion and debris flow.