It’s been an ongoing issue in the town of Osoyoos, B.C.: residents reported brown and discolored water pouring out from their taps again over the weekend.
“The water has been brown off and on over the years and the other night after the failure they had, it looked like someone had poured coffee in there. It’s unpleasant,” said Osoyoos resident Mike Toepfer.
“Hopefully they get it fixed soon. I know it is on the agenda but hopefully it happens sooner than later.”
According to the town, a “significant instrumentation failure” Sunday night caused one of the water reservoirs to run dry and the main water reservoir to drain to critical levels.
The town later followed up with a statement saying a power outage on Saturday is likely related to the failure.
“This suspected incident led to the incapacitation of the backup battery power unit, resulting in the station shutting down and the main monitoring computer going offline,” read the Town of Osoyoos release.
“Consequently, the early warning system failed to register the issue. The Town’s Operators discovered this on Sunday and immediately initiated troubleshooting to restore functionality and repair any damage.”
According to officials, the issue could lead to backflow and introduce bacteria into the water supply. The town issued a boil water advisory for a number of areas on Monday.
A water quality advisory for the entire domestic water system was also issued as a precautionary measure as there could be increased turbidity.
“We are boiling our water as usual, as we are supposed to,” sad Osoyoos resident Dave Parsons.
“They are usually pretty good here, with all the notices here but the only problem is it takes so long to get back on again. We are experiencing it now and we’re getting by.”
The Boil Water Notice applies to the following areas:
Town of Osoyoos
- 115th Street
- Meadowlark Drive
- Wren Place and Drive
- Raven Court
- Finch Crescent
- Swan Crescent
- Sandpiper Place
- Killdeer Place
- Curlew Court
South Rural Area
- 107thStreet
- 42nd Avenue
- 26th Avenue
- 12th Avenue
- 6thAvenue
North Rural Area
- Hwy 97 north of Hwy 3
- 100th Avenue
- 116th Avenue
- 115th Avenue
- 89th Street
Junction 3 Coffeehouse in Osoyoos is one of many businesses that have dealt with ongoing water quality issues even though they are not included the current boil water advisory.
Coffeehouse owner Sara Van Der Hoeven says they have taken costly measures to ensure their water is safe.
“We find ourselves in a pressing situation with the boil water advisory, which significantly affects the wellbeing of our residents and the operations of local businesses in Osoyoos,” said Van Der Hoeven in a statement to Global News.
“It is a matter of great concern that the lines of communication from town council… have fallen short of expectations during this critical time.”
Van Der Hoeven is calling on town leaders to provide more information and solutions to the ongoing issues.
“The community deserved prompt and clear guidance, which has regrettably not been forthcoming. We stand with our fellow town residents in seeking immediate and transparent communication from the council regarding actionable solutions and support for those affected,” said Van Der Hoeven.
“We urgently call upon our town leaders to provide a detailed response plan and to actively engage with the community in these efforts. This situation demands not just dialogue, but also a sense of urgency and accountability from our council. Rest assured, we will persist in our call for clarity and action to ensure the safety and peace of mind for all in Osoyoos.”
Meanwhile, the town says water quality sampling is being collected, and more information will be provided on Friday on whether the notices can be lifted.
“Operators are actively flushing out the system and conducting necessary water quality tests. Once the Town receives negative results from the laboratory, we will be able to re-evaluate the water quality advisories,” read the town release.
“We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this time; the safety and quality of your water supply remain our top priority.”
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