Malfunctioning equipment has resulted in stage three water restrictions for the North BX and Foothills area of Vernon.
The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) says the water restrictions will be in place until the critical piece of infrastructure is repaired, and that affected residents are required to cut their water usage in half until further notice.
“An important valve in the water system is malfunctioning which impedes the ability for Greater Vernon Water (GVW) to supply a high flow of water to this area,” said John Lord, manager of water distribution for the RDNO.
“Delivery of the equipment required for the repairs is taking longer than usual, so, as a proactive measure to ensure adequate distribution, water use must be reduced by 50 per cent.”
North BX and Foothills area water restriction map
GVW says its determined to repair the valve and lift the water restrictions as quickly as possible, but that the current repair estimate is two to three weeks.
However, GVW noted that the timeline is dependent on equipment arrival.
Information regarding stage three water restrictions is listed below:
- Pool filling and refilling are prohibited.
- Outdoor washing for the purpose of health and safety is permitted with the use of a hose with spring-loaded nozzle.
- Lawn and aesthetic garden irrigation is limited to one day a week.
- Irrigation schedule for residential outdoor use is:
- Odd addresses on Saturday, even addresses on Sunday
- Agricultural customers are to minimize water use wherever possible and reduce water use by 50 per cent once their service is turned on.
- Agricultural customers should be aware they could be turned off without notice if the water supply cannot be maintained.
The regional district says GVW will provide weekly updates until the problem is fixed.