Kelowna homeowners deal with flooding for almost a month

Water has been seeping into Cathy Pimiskern’s Black Mountain home in Kelowna for almost a month now.

“No one wants to take responsibility,” she said.

Cathy and her husband Konrad’s home is just one of dozens in Kelowna with wet basements this spring.

Many of them are downhill of where the Kirschner Mountain neikghbourhood is under development.

Affected homeowners wonder if the work being done is changing the flow of runoff.

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But the city says Kirschner Mountain is following the rules.

The development will have a storm drain system to divert water to Gopher Creek at the base of the mountain but work being done now, including clearing trees, blasting and sculpting ground, has to be done first.

For now ditches and drains are the appropriate way to deal with runoff.

Mayor Colin Basran paid a visit to the Pimiskern’s house Friday to take a look at the problem.

He believes municipalities have to prepare for a future of weather extremes that we haven’t faced in the past.

“This is sadly the new normal,” said Basran.  What infrastructure and things can we do as a municipality to deal with long term impacts of a changing climate and changing conditions?”

The homeowners say they want accountability from the city and immediate action.

Asked what his next move will be Konrad Pimiskern replied, “That’s a great question. We’ll find out.”