About two dozen residents near Rock Creek, east of Osoyoos on Highway 3, have been told not to use their water following an Interior Health (IH) ‘Do Not Use’ order.
The alert comes after RCMP uncovered a clandestine drug lab in the area between Bridesville and Rock Creek where solvents and hazardous materials were dumped onto the soil.
The three-kilometre radius between Sanders Road and Johnstone Creek Road West should not use tap water, according to an Interior Health memo issued at 9:30 p.m. Mar. 2.
Interior Health said the activities at the clandestine drug lab may have contaminated the local water table.
Residents pulling water from aquifers, deep wells or water users downstream along the Kettle River are not affected.
The communities of Bridesville, Rock Creek and Midway are not impacted either.
The risk of exposure to the materials and potential health impacts are considered low and the warning is precautionary until further investigation and water testing in the affected area is complete, according to the IH bulletin.
Notices were hand delivered Friday to affected residents who can get safe drinking water at a filling station at the Rock Creek Fair Grounds.
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